Kansas Common Sense
Working to Support Our Veterans
Aug 05 2024
Working to Support Our Veterans
Kansas City VA Named after Captain Elwin “Al” Shopteese
On Wednesday, President Biden signed into law my legislation with Sen. Roger Marshall, M.D. (Kan.) to name the VA clinic in Kansas City, Kansas, after Captain Elwin “Al” Shopteese. The law formally designates the clinic as the “Captain Elwin Shopteese Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic” or the “Captain Elwin Shopteese VA Clinic.”
Elwin Shopteese was born in Mayetta, Kansas, on July 16, 1921, and was a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. Upon high school graduation, he immediately enlisted in the Kansas National Guard and became a member of Company E, 137th Infantry Regiment. Shopteese and his company were involved in several battles across Europe during World War II, including the invasion of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge. He received a battlefield commission for his leadership while in combat at Omaha Beach. He also received a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for his service during World War II. Shopteese returned to Kansas to attend Haskell University in 1946 before continuing his military service in the Korean War.
I am pleased the President signed this legislation into law so that Captain Shopteese’s legacy of service to our country, to Kansas, and to the Native American community will be forever honored and preserved for all who come through the doors of the Captain Elwin Shopteese VA Clinic.
You can read more about the clinic here.
Supporting Veterans Small Businesses
This week, I introduced the Veterans Jobs Opportunity Act with Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) to create a new startup tax credit to provide veterans who are starting a small business with a 15 percent tax credit on the first $50,000 of startup costs. Veteran-owned small businesses play an important role in rural communities, underserved areas and society, and this legislation will allow our nation’s heroes to encourage those around them and uplift communities across the country.
You can read more about this legislation in KZRS here.
Ensuring Continuity of Care for Veterans
This week, I joined my Senate Colleagues in introducing legislation to require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to consider continuity of health care when deciding whether seeing a provider in the community is in a veteran’s best medical interest. Under current law, there are several criteria that VA is required to consider when determining whether it is in a veteran’s best medical interest to seek care outside of a VA medical facility. The Ensuring Continuity in Veterans’ Health Act would add continuity of care to those criteria, which would help veterans who have been engaged in care in the community be able to continue receiving treatment from their community care provider.
I am hearing from more and more veterans in Kansas and across the country who are finding it harder to receive the care they are entitled to from VA and who are being cut off from their community providers by VA. This legislation would help these Kansans and veterans across the country maintain care with the doctors and nurses they have come to trust by requiring VA to take continuity of care into account when evaluating veterans for community care referrals.
You can read more about this legislation in KMAN here.
Looking to the Future with Space Exploration
This week, I addressed aerospace stakeholders at Politico’s ‘Go for Launch: Shaping the Next Space Economy’ event. Space plays a critical role in our national security and prosperity. As the commercial space sector continues to grow, so do the opportunities for aerospace manufacturing within our state. In recent years, I have welcomed the CEOs of leading space companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, ULA, and many others to see our workforce first hand and grow their internal supply chains.
As the lead Republican of the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee on Appropriations, with jurisdiction over NASA funding, I look forward to working with key industry leaders to ensure a robust space economy for the future.
You can read more about the event here.
Commerce Committee Passes Legislation to Boost AI Education and Help Small Businesses
On Wednesday, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee passed two bipartisan pieces of legislation that I introduced with Sen. Cantwell (D-Wash.). The National Science Foundation AI Education Act will expand artificial intelligence (AI) educational opportunities, while the bipartisan Small Business Artificial Intelligence Training Act will help small businesses leverage AI in their operations. AI is continuing to show it has tremendous potential to change industries around the world, and Kansas students and small businesses should lead the way in benefitting from this nascent technology.
I thank Sen. Cantwell for leading this legislation with me and look forward to working with my colleagues on this legislation so the United States can continue to lead the world in AI development.
You can read more about these bills here.
On Tuesday, I held a meeting with senior officials from the Department of Energy (DOE) to discuss critical investments in Kansas research efforts. Dr. Geri Richmond, DOE’s Under Secretary for Science, and Dr. Sunita Satyapal, Director of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office, provided constructive feedback on how to best leverage Kansas’s assets. As Kansas universities and businesses continue pushing forward with cutting-edge research in fields like hydrogen and carbon sequestration, I’m working to ensure that our state can take full advantage of DOE grant programs and funding opportunities.
Creating Transparency with Hotel Fees
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee cleared the Hotel Fees Transparency Act, legislation I introduced with my Travel and Tourism Caucus Co-Chair Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). This bill will improve transparency for consumers by requiring anyone advertising a hotel room or short-term rental to clearly show up front the final price a customer will pay to book lodging. This sensible legislation requires hotels to be straightforward about all their fees so consumers are not saddled with unexpected costs on their check. I appreciate the opportunity to work with Sen. Klobuchar on this legislation and its clearance through the Commerce Committee and will advocate for its swift passage in the Senate.
You can read more about this legislation here.
Meeting with Union Pacific
This week, I had the opportunity to meet with Union Pacific’s new President, Beth Whited. Union Pacific operates over 2,000 miles of track in Kansas and employs roughly 1,000 Kansans. Each year, Union Pacific assists Kansas farmers in moving their commodities to market with grain as a top commodity. Union Pacific also serves the logistical and transport needs of the U.S. Army at Fort Riley.
I look forward to a continued partnership with Ms. Whited and Union Pacific, as they continue to support the needs of Kansans.
Introducing Legislation to Preserve Rural Housing
This week, I led a bipartisan group of Senators in introducing the Preserving Rural Housing Investments Act. This legislation makes an important clarification about the tax status of Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs). By codifying the fact that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not tax-exempt, we can open the door to increased benefits for the investors that use the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and partner with GSEs. Rural areas are too frequently left behind in affordable housing investment and I will continue working to protect rural communities and make certain they receive the support they need.
You can read more about the Preserving Rural Housing Investments Act here.
.png "Your_paragraph_text_(10).png")
Preventing the Flow of Fentanyl
Fentanyl has taken the lives of thousands of Americans and continues to be a leading cause of death in the United States. On Thursday, I joined my colleagues in introducing the Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act. By imposing penalties for removing or altering serial numbers on pill presses, law enforcement will be able to more effectively target those responsible for the production of counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills and help prevent drug traffickers from flooding our country with these deadly fake pills.
You can read more about the legislation here.
Meeting with Daniel Board
On Tuesday, I met with Daniel Board, Chief of Staff for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), to congratulate him on his retirement after 30-plus years in law enforcement. Mr. Board retired on Friday, and I was fortunate to meet with him one last time and thank him for his service to our country. Mr. Board began his law enforcement career as a police officer with the Albemarle (VA) County Police Department in 1995 and later worked as a Task Force Officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) before being hired by the ATF in 2001. He has served all over the nation, as well as in several Senior Executive Service positions in Washington, D.C.
I wish Mr. Board well in his retirement and thank him for serving our great nation.
Meetings with Kansans
Kansas Cooperatives
On Wednesday, I met with Kansas Cooperatives during their visit to our nation’s capital for the National Council of Famer Cooperatives annual conference. We discussed Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and important provisions of the farm bill like crop insurance, conservation practices and the farm safety net. We also discussed tax issues and labor challenges many of their cooperatives are faced with overcoming. Thank you to Dave Spears and Allan Wegner with MKC, Matt Hellwig with CoBank, Jackie Mundt with Kanza Coop and Brandi Miller and Jamie Boggs with Kansas Cooperative Council for the conversation.
Annabelle Moore
This week, I was able to visit with Anabelle Moore, the granddaughter of former Kansas Congressman Dennis Moore. Annabelle has spent her summer interning in the office of Rep. Cleaver (MO-5) before heading back to the University of Texas for her senior year of college. Congressman Moore and I served in the House of Representatives together, and it is great to see his family follow in his footsteps of serving their communities.
Celebrating Innovation at Cloud County Community College
On Friday, I joined Cloud County Community College (CCCC) for the ribbon cutting ceremony of the Technical Education and Innovation Center. This center will house various new programs at the CCCC, including Renewable Energy, Nursing and Allied Health and Agriculture and Industrial Technology, including welding and CDL training. Nearly every industry in the state and the nation is battling a workforce shortage and there continues to be an increasing regional demand for quality technical education. With institutions like Cloud County finding opportunities to increase careers in technical education early on, our state is leading the charge in ending the workforce shortage and setting students up for high paying, highly-skilled jobs they can find right here in Kansas after graduation.
I joined Heather Gennette, Lieutenant Governor David Toland and CCCC President Amber Kottengen for this announcement. Thank you all for your dedication to fostering technological advancements in the heartland.
Announcing the Army Harding Fellowship
This week, I received news that the Army has selected the University of Kansas as its partner for their new Harding Fellowship Program. This new fellowship program will select, develop and employ top performing Army officers, allowing them to pursue a Master’s degree at KU with follow-on assignments as editors-in-chief for the Army’s professional journals. These journals allow fresh ideas and tactics to be shared throughout the Army community. This will be an amazing opportunity to strengthen the great relationship between KU and the Combined Arms Center at Ft. Leavenworth and I want to congratulate Lieutenant General Beagle and Dr. Girod on this wonderful partnership.
Congratulating Olympic Athletes
Congrats to Cloud County Community College alumni Rajindra Campbell on winning bronze in shot put for Jamaica.
K-State alumni Eugene Omalla won gold in the 4x400 mixed relay for the Netherlands. Congrats on this amazing accomplishment and for setting a new European record!
Capitol Tours
Annika Boeckner of Hiawatha
Craig Boeckner of Hiawatha
Jase Boeckner of Hiawatha
LaWanda Boeckner of Hiawatha
Levi Boeckner of Hiawatha
Thomas Boeckner of Hiawatha
Nate Brackett of Overland Park
Jonathan Brackett of Overland Park
Thomas Brackett of Overland Park
Nate Brackett II of Overland Park
Catherine Brackett of Overland Park
Benjamin Brackett of Overland Park
Michelle Decker of Olathe
Les Decker of Olathe
Brett Herrman of Wichita
Glenn Herrman of LaCrosse
Renee Herrman of LaCrosse
Daniel Hodges of Wichita
Jessica Hodges of Wichita
Naomi Hodges of Wichita
Nina Hodges of Wichita
Reagan Housley of Andover
Rylie Kaberline of Andover
Elizabeth Lemma of Olathe
Eyasu Lemma of Olathe
Elijaah Lemma of Olathe
Eliah Lemma of Olathe
Emnet Lemma of Olathe
Donna McGinty of Topeka
Ben Redington of Andover
Brynlee Redington of Andover
Emmersyn Redington of Andover
Aidan Redington of Andover
Ethan Redington of Andover
Riley Reimer of Andover
Radwan Rodriguez-Mateo of Liberal
Jeremy Rodgers of Junction City
Erin Younkin of Andover
American Retirement Association
Scott Colangelo of Overland Park
Troy Redstone of Overland Park
Matthew Young of Prairie Village
Christians United for Israel
Kerra Ketter of Topeka
Patty Han of Topeka
Joyce Hoffine of Wichita
Donna McGinty of Topeka
Susan Milliken of Wichita
Farm Journal Foundation
Brad White of Manhattan
KC2026
Maggie Collins of Overland Park
Pam Kramer of Overland Park
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
Jamie Boggs of Buhler
Matt Hellwig of Overland Park
Brandi Miller of Wamego
Jackie Mundt of Preston
David Spears of Valley Center
Allan Wegner of Omega
Northwest Kansas Educational Service Center
Katherine Kersenbrok-Ostmeyer of Colby
Office of Congressman Emanuel Cleaver
Annabelle Moore of Mission Hills
Tesseract
Helena Boucard of Overland Park
John Boucard of Overland Park
Newsletter Sign-up Form
Note: Fields marked with an * are required.
