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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; member of the Aviation Operations, Safety and Security Subcommittee; and co-chair of the Senate Aerospace Caucus – today spoke on the Senate floor about Congress’ damaging practice of passing short-term, 11th hour extensions to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) authority.
“Republicans and Democrats in both chambers of Congress have repeatedly found common ground, and consensus among the entire aviation community, on a wide range of issues impacting the FAA, such as strengthening the Contract Tower Program and streamlining aircraft certification processes,” said Sen. Moran. “Yet today we see that controversial proposals to privatize our air traffic control system have derailed our progress yet again. Short-term authorizations like this one fail to give our aviation community the certainty it needs to plan for improvements at our airports that will keep travelers safe or empower manufacturers to create jobs. We must end this dangerous habit.”
“Air traffic control privatization is about everyone except for the largest cities with the largest airports and the most numerous travelers,” continued Sen. Moran. “So this is not about just Garden City, Kansas, or Manhattan, my hometown, or Hays, my former hometown. This is about Wichita, Topeka, it’s about Kansas City – all but the absolute largest airports would be damaged by the privatization of air traffic control. Privatization of the nation’s most complex air system is a solution without a problem that will ultimately create lots of problems.”
Sen. Moran’s floor remarks can be viewed here.
Background
- Kansans have built three out of every four general aviation aircraft since the Wright Brothers’ first flight at Kitty Hawk, and today, over 40,000 Kansans make a living manufacturing, operating and servicing the world’s highest quality aircraft.
- Last year, Sen. Moran voted in favor of the Senate’s FAA reform proposal and opposed the six-month extension that resulted after disagreement with the House.
- Sen. Moran has been a vocal opponent of proposals to privatize our nation’s air traffic control system, advocating instead in favor of proposals to provide greater protections for the general aviation industry, small airports and all but the largest communities nationwide.
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Sen. Moran Questions VA Secretary on Hiring of Mental Health Professionals in Rural Communities
Sep 28 2017
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs and Related Agencies – yesterday questioned Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Dr. David Shulkin during a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing about the VA’s ongoing efforts to hire more mental health and family counseling professionals to serve veterans, especially in rural communities, nationwide. Sen. Moran also inquired about the future of a program he observed during his visit to the Phoenix VA this month known as “Be Connected,” which involves peer-to-peer mentoring for veterans using the VA’s mental health hotline.
“For years now, I have worked to push the VA to hire more mental health professionals so that our nation’s heroes can have more access to the care they need,” said Sen. Moran. “September is Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month, and the number of veterans taking their own lives each year remains alarmingly high. While I am encouraged that Secretary Shulkin is committed to hiring more mental health professionals, I want to make certain that he prioritizes hiring in rural and underserved communities to provide critical services veterans need.”
During his questioning of Sec. Shulkin, Sen. Moran followed up on a letter he sent with Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) last week asking the VA to create an occupational series for Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselors (LPMHCs) and Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) in order to expedite the hiring process. Full text of the letter can be found here.
Sen. Moran also convened a hearing on April 27, 2017 before his Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations subcommittee on preventing veteran suicide. Full video and more information about that hearing can be found here.
Click here to watch yesterday’s hearing. Highlights can be found below:
Sen. Moran (:02): “Secretary, thank you for joining us this morning on a hugely significant and unfortunately so timely topic. First of all, I want to highlight the hearing that our appropriations subcommittee had in April on this topic. But I want to remind you, Mr. Secretary... about VA follow through on a commitment that was made at that hearing. It was committed by the VA that we would get monthly reports in regard to your efforts, the department’s efforts to comply with the Inspector General’s recommendations and failures at the VA in regard to suicide, and we have not received those reports on a monthly basis.”
Sen. Moran (1:00): “Let me then talk about another topic that Senator Tester and I have worked on. We’ve been trying for a long time, and in fact in 2010, now seven years ago, gave the VA the authority to hire marriage and family therapists and licensed professional mental health counselors. The results of that authority have not resulted in any significant hiring of either one of those professionals. I would guess Senator Tester and I are interested in this reason for the scarcity of professionals generally, but especially as you were indicating in rural communities. So we have sought and have provided congressional authority for the VA to hire. You indicate you’re in the process of hiring 1,000 additional professionals, but I would tell you that after seven years, those two categories only account for two percent of the mental health workforce at the Department of Veterans Affairs… Senator Tester and I have a letter to you in this regard that was sent to you just a few days ago…. Would you again commit to filling these positions with those professionals, something that has not happened? And if so, how many of those are going to be, what would your prediction be, would fit an MFT or an LPMHC and would you provide me with those numbers as you fill those positions? I assume there will be a priority given in regard to places that are hard to recruit professionals.”
Sen. Moran (2:47): “I also know that you have hiring authorities that are difficult. I don’t know what your expedited hiring authorities are. What are they? What do you have at your disposal? Do they apply to mental health professionals? What needs to happen to fix this problem? ... We discussed this topic with Dr. Stephanie Davis, who testified. She’s at the eastern part of our Kansas VISN. She testified before our appropriations subcommittee in April that jobs are posted at USAjobs.com, where applications can linger for four or five months. People find other jobs in the meantime, and it becomes even more impossible to recruit and retain. We know that positions sit vacant for months or even years while providers go through the process of the federal hiring mechanism. What can you do to get that process expedited?”
Sen. Moran (4:03): “Finally, Mr. Secretary, I wanted to tell you that I was just earlier this month at the Phoenix VA, where I saw one of the pilot programs under the Clay Hunt Act called ‘Be Connected.’ I was impressed. What this is about is having those who’ve have similar circumstances, who have served our country, who are veterans themselves who’ve had PTSD and other problems, as the counselors for those who are calling the number. I’d be interested in knowing what the VA is doing to support ‘Be Connected’ and are there plans to expand that program elsewhere?”
Sec. Shulkin (4:49): “First of all, on the issue that you talked about us not providing timely follow up… that’s unacceptable. If we say we’re going to commit to something my expectation is that we commit to it. So I appreciate you letting me know about it. I can assure you my staff will be knowing about it. We will do better and that’s not the way I want the department run so we will make sure you get that. On the marriage and mental health counselors, I look forward to the letter. I am aware that we continually hear about VA’s strictness on our accreditation issue. This is particularly a training issue since there are two accreditation programs. We are committed to bringing on marriage and family therapists…. On the issue of hiring, look, it’s the single most challenging thing that I know of in VA. It shouldn’t be that hard to get people on board. In the Accountability Act that the chairman referred to that we passed together not too long ago, you gave direct hiring authority to medical center directors. That is really helpful to us. It allows us to skip over a lot of the red tape. I want that authority for all of our critical health professionals. I would urge us to work together on that. It’s just too hard to get people hired into the VA.”
Sen. Moran (6:26): “So do you have the authority under the Accountability Act to do what you need to do?”
Sec. Shulkin (6:29): “Only under medical center directors. So if we could work on expanding that, I’d love to target it for mental health… but we have other health needs as well. And on the ‘Be Connected’ program, peer support is something that we are really committed to. We think this works, particularly for veterans who understand what they’ve gone through. So thank you for your visit, thank you for mentioning that, and that’s something that we’re going full force on.”
Sen. Moran (6:56): “Do you have other plans for that program elsewhere?”
Sec. Shulkin (6:59): “Yes, we already have about 1,100 peer support counselors. Much of our Vet Center model is actually based on that model. We know it works and Vet Center growth has been continuing to go up each year.”
Chairman Isakson (7:13): “I know Dr. Shulkin wants to be sure we point out since the resident state of Senator Moran is Kansas that the third mental health hotline center is being set up in Topeka, Kansas, if I’m not mistaken.”
Sec. Shulkin (7:24): “You are absolutely correct.”
Sen. Moran (7:25): “We are delighted to have you.”
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) issued the following statement today after the Administration, the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee released their tax reform framework:
“It has been more than 30 years since President Reagan signed the 1986 Tax Reform Act – the economy was entirely different and the way we do business across the world has changed drastically. Americans can no longer afford the status quo of an outdated and complicated tax system. Today’s tax reform framework is a first step toward growing our economy, boosting small businesses, creating new jobs and keeping good jobs here at home. Creating a fairer and simpler tax code means better days for working families and higher paying jobs in Kansas and across the country. I look forward to working with my colleagues and the Administration on this tax reform framework.”
The full framework can be found here. A one-pager description can be found here.
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PHOTO: Sen. Moran Holds 12th Conservation Tour
Sep 26 2017
Sen. Moran and Conservation Tour participants listen to Dibben Farms’ Craig and Brandon Dibben describe how their usage of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) has allowed them to install a sub-surface drip irrigation system, increasing crop yields and improving water conservation. (Please find high-resolution photo attached.)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) last week held his 2017 Conservation Tour to learn more about conservation efforts across Kansas. The tour, which spanned Riley, Wabunsee, Geary and Pottawatomie Counties, focused on discussion about a variety of conservation practices important to the Kansas agriculture industry, such as the Sustainable Rivers Program, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and prescribed burning.
Sen. Moran was joined on the tour by USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Acting Chief Leonard Jordan.
“My Conservation Tours provide the opportunity to learn more from farmers and ranchers about ongoing conservation efforts across the state, including water and soil conservation, grassland prairie preservation and river sustainability, and a variety of practices important to the Kansas agriculture industry,” said Sen. Moran. “The future of Kansas agriculture is bright.”
Since coming to Congress, Sen. Moran has held regular tours across Kansas to observe conservation practices at work. This year’s tour, Sen. Moran’s 12th, highlighted conservation efforts supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), as well as private landowner stewardship practices.
More photos and information about the tour are available here.
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Sen. Moran Applauds Passage of National Defense Authorization Act, Inclusion of Moran Provisions
Sep 18 2017
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today supported the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2018, which authorizes national defense programs and funding in support of the U.S. Armed Forces and passed the Senate on an 89-8 vote.
“The National Defense Authorization Act is critical legislation that supports servicemembers, civilians and their families who work hard to keep us safe at home and abroad,” said Sen. Moran. “This legislation will help rebuild a ready and capable force by prioritizing modernization, enabling the Department of Defense to procure vital equipment and increasing manpower of our active and reserve forces. It also authorizes an across-the-board pay raise for servicemembers and their families.”
Sen. Moran authored three amendments that were included in passage of this year’s NDAA:
- The first is Sen. Moran’s Gary Deloney and John Olsen Toxic Exposure Declassification Act, which would permit veterans to have access to military records regarding their exposure to toxic substances. This legislation requires the Department of Defense to declassify documents that relate to incidents where 100 or more servicemen or women were exposed to a toxic substance that later had a damaging effect on a veteran. Without declassification of these documents, many of our veterans are left without proof of the exposure they suffered, preventing them from being able to establish their service-connected conditions and secure a disability rating that makes them eligible to receive the care and benefits they deserve to help them cope with the residual health damage. The bill is named for Gary Deloney of Fort Scott, Kan., a U.S. Navy veteran who passed away while working with Sen. Moran’s staff to receive a service-connected designation from the Department of Veterans Affairs based on missions he completed with classified records. This amendment was also sponsored by U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
- The second amendment is Sen. Moran’s Modernizing Government Technology (MGT) Act, which would modernize outdated federal technology, eliminate wasteful spending and strengthen our nation’s cybersecurity measures. The MGT Act would establish IT working capital funds at our 24 government agencies and allow them to use savings obtained through streamlining IT systems, replacing legacy products and transitioning to cloud computing for up to three years for further modernization efforts. The bill also sets up a separate centralized modernization fund within the Department of the Treasury for the head of the General Services Administration (GSA) to administer across the federal government in consultation of a federal IT expert board. The amendment was also sponsored by U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.).
- Sen. Moran’s third amendment included in the NDAA calls for the Department of Defense to support national security innovation and entrepreneurial education programs to benefit the defense sector. This amendment would allow the Secretary of Defense to leverage proven private sector practices to solve national security problems, and expose university students to government sector work. The amendment was also sponsored by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).
Sen. Moran continued, “Our armed forces face more diverse and widespread threats from across the globe than ever before. I’m proud of the work Chairman McCain has done on NDAA and of the bill’s inclusion of my amendments, which will help us ensure veterans have access to information that supports their VA benefits claims, reduce federal spending, bolster cybersecurity and encourage the Department of Defense to modernize and develop innovative ideas for our military.”
The legislation will next go to conference with the House of Representatives to iron out differences between the two chambers.
Full text of the first amendment, #601, is available here.
Full text of the second amendment, #949, is available here.
Full text of the third amendment, #981, is available here.
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Sens. Moran, Udall’s MGT Act Clears the Senate in FY18 National Defense Authorization Act
Sep 18 2017
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) today applauded the inclusion of their Modernizing Government Technology (MGT) Act as part of the final National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18). This bipartisan legislation was introduced as an amendment (#1006) to the FY18 NDAA to modernize government information technology (IT), eliminate wasteful spending and strengthen cybersecurity.
“In light of the numerous data security issues that continue to threaten our federal government and American businesses, I’m pleased the Senate acted to prioritize the modernization of our alarmingly outdated federal IT systems,” said Sen. Moran. “The MGT Act is a critical step toward bringing our federal IT systems into the 21st century. The improved efficiencies included in the legislation will strengthen our cybersecurity capabilities and reduce long-term wasteful spending. Thank you to Sen. Udall, Sen. Daines and Sen. Warner for their continued support of this bipartisan legislation; I also appreciate the diligence and support of the Senate Committees on Armed Services, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Appropriations.”
“The MGT Act is a perfect example of what we can accomplish when we seek common-sense solutions in a bipartisan way,” said Sen. Udall. “This major legislation to modernize the federal government’s grossly outdated IT systems will strengthen our national security and save taxpayers millions. The federal government currently spends over $80 billion on IT, but 75 percent of that money goes to maintaining old and out of date legacy systems. With the MGT Act’s flexible funding options, we can break that cycle andbring the federal government into the modern era— tackling dangerous cyber vulnerabilities and protecting the American people from increasingly severe cyberattacks, and empowering agencies to move forward with long-overdue projects to streamline how the federal government operates. I thank Senator Moran and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the House and the Senate for their tireless work to ensure the government is getting better service at a better value for the American people.”
Items to Note:
- In April, Sen. Moran and Sen. Udall – both members of the Senate Commerce and Appropriations Committees – introduced the Modernizing Government Technology (MGT) Act (S. 990/H.R. 2227) with the support of their colleagues Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.). U.S. Representatives Will Hurd (R-Texas) and Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) – chairman and member, respectively, of the House Subcommittee on Information Technology – introduced the House companion legislation.
- The MGT Act would establish IT working capital funds at 24 federal government agencies and allow them to use savings obtained through streamlining IT systems, replacing legacy products and transitioning to cloud computing for up to three years for further modernization efforts. The bill also sets up a separate centralized modernization fund within the Department of the Treasury for the head of the General Services Administration (GSA) to administer across the federal government in consultation with a federal IT expert board.
- The bill is supported by a number of IT industry stakeholders and trade associations including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the IT Alliance for the Public Sector (ITAPS), Professional Services Council (PSC), TechNet, Amazon Web Service, Cisco, Adobe, BMC, Brocade, Intel, Microsoft, Business Roundtable, CA Technologies, Compuware, CSRA, Level 3, Unisys and others.
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VIDEO: Sen. Moran in Afghanistan Discussing Army’s Role, Paying Tribute To Those Who Serve
Sep 15 2017
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies – recently returned from Afghanistan, Poland and Germany with Acting Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy. While in Afghanistan, Sen. Moran shared his thoughts on his visit, why Afghanistan matters and what he discussed in his meetings with General John Nicholson regarding the strategic shift in Afghanistan and the United States Military’s work to assist and advise the Afghan military.
Highlight:
(0:22): “Afghanistan matters. It’s a spot in the world in which there are 21 terrorist groups concentrated in this region. Our role here is changing and it's changed dramatically. We are assisting. We're advising. We're providing the tools necessary for the Afghan military to win the war. We have fewer number of military men and women here, but they are performing a very important role protecting Americans.”
For more footage of Sen. Moran discussing the strategic shift in Afghanistan, click here.
To embed the video, please use the following: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tQOM2bzVc50" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Sen. Moran Statement on Veteran Suicide Data Released Today by the Department of Veterans Affairs
Sep 15 2017
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies – today released the following statement after the Department of Veterans Affairs published their most recent veteran suicide data by state:
“The suicide statistics the VA released today are troubling and remind us that suicide prevention is critical to supporting veterans and saving lives. While we’ve taken positive steps forward to improve access to mental health resources that veterans need, it’s clear that there is more work to do. I remain committed to working with my colleagues and the Department of Veterans Affairs to bring more awareness to this problem and provide veterans with the help they need.”
For Kansas’ veteran suicide statistics, click here.
Sen. Moran’s work on veteran suicide prevention:
- In April, Sen. Moran chaired an Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies hearing titled, “Preventing Veteran Suicide,” highlighting the importance of outreach to veterans in need, in addition to communicating through this crisis line. The hearing included Military Veterans Project CEO Melissa D. Jarboe and VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System Suicide Prevention Coordinator and Staff Psychologist Stephanie A. Davis, Ph.D., both of Topeka, as witnesses.
- The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies’ FY18 appropriations bill, which passed the full committee in July, increases funding for the Veterans Crisis Line by $10 million.
- This week, Sen. Moran applauded the Department of Veterans Affairs’ announced its intention to open a Veterans Crisis Line Call Center at the Topeka VA Medical Center campus.
Veterans in crisis may contact the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1. They can also text or chat with our trained professionals online at www.VeteransCrisisLine.net.
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VIDEO: Sen. Moran in Afghanistan Discussing Army’s Role, Paying Tribute To Those Who Serve
Sep 15 2017
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies – recently returned from Afghanistan, Poland and Germany with Acting Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy. While in Afghanistan, Sen. Moran shared his thoughts on his visit, why Afghanistan matters and what he discussed in his meetings with General John Nicholson regarding the strategic shift in Afghanistan and the United States Military’s work to assist and advise the Afghan military.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VIDEO
Highlight:
(0:22): “Afghanistan matters. It’s a spot in the world in which there are 21 terrorist groups concentrated in this region. Our role here is changing and it's changed dramatically. We are assisting. We're advising. We're providing the tools necessary for the Afghan military to win the war. We have fewer number of military men and women here, but they are performing a very important role protecting Americans.”
For more footage of Sen. Moran discussing the strategic shift in Afghanistan, click here.
To embed the video, please use the following: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tQOM2bzVc50" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies – today applauded the Department of Veterans Affairs’ decision to open a Veterans Crisis Line Call Center at the Topeka VA Medical Center campus.
“I am pleased the VA chose Topeka as the location for its new Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) call center and that the VA is following through on its commitment to meet the needs of veterans in crisis,” said Sen. Moran. “Secretary Shulkin has made suicide prevention a top priority, and expanding the VCL to additional locations and increasing crisis responders is critical to providing veterans with the support they need, when they need it. I will continue working with the VA to make certain no veteran feels abandoned by the country they served when they make the brave decision to seek mental health services.”
Sen. Moran’s work on veteran suicide prevention:
- In April, Sen. Moran chaired an Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies hearing titled, “Preventing Veteran Suicide,” highlighting the importance of outreach to veterans in need, in addition to communicating through this crisis line. The hearing included Military Veterans Project CEO Melissa D. Jarboe and VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System Suicide Prevention Coordinator and Staff Psychologist Stephanie A. Davis, Ph.D., both of Topeka, as witnesses.
- The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies’ FY18 appropriations bill, which passed the full committee in July, increases funding for the Veterans Crisis Line by $10 million.
About the VA Crisis Line (provided by the VA):
- This call center will be the third Veterans Crisis Line (VCL), in addition to the existing call centers in Canandaigua, N.Y. and Atlanta, Ga.
- The new call center, to be located on the campus of VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System, will provide support for expansion of the ‘automatic transfer’ function, Press 7, into Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) and Vet centers, improving access to the VCL in the coming months.
- Since the launch of the VCL in 2007, they have answered nearly three million calls and initiated the dispatch of emergency services to callers in imminent crisis nearly 84,000 times. Since launching a chat option in 2009 and text services in 2011, the VCL has engaged on nearly 359,000 chats and more than 78,000 text requests.
- Veterans in crisis may contact the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1. They can also text or chat with our trained professionals online at www.VeteransCrisisLine.net.
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