Kansas Common Sense
Hosting Annual Service Academy Day
Nov 18 2024
Hosting Annual Service Academy Day
On Saturday, I hosted high school students from across Kansas at Fort Hays State University (FHSU) who are applying for admission to a United States Service Academy. Throughout the day, my Service Academy Selection Board interviewed 77 prospective candidates and made recommendations on who I should nominate to the Service Academies, which include the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.
Making appointments to the Service Academies is one of my greatest privileges as a United States Senator. The individuals we interviewed represent some of the best, brightest and most dedicated young people our state has to offer. Their willingness and desire to serve our country and attend such rigorous institutions is inspiring and makes me optimistic for the future of our country.
Thank you to FHSU Foundation President and CEO Jason Williby and the FHSU Foundation for hosting our interviews. Thank you also to FHSU President Tisa Mason for providing a warm welcome on behalf of the university and for joining the candidates and me for lunch. Lastly, I extend my gratitude to my Service Academy Selection Board for the thoughtful consideration and time they put into the interviews and selection process.
You can read about my Service Academy Selection Board here.
Discussing the Future of Veterans Care
On Wednesday morning, I joined Editor in Chief of The Hill, Bob Cusack, for a discussion on the future of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and how Congress can best support veterans next Congress. We discussed ways the VA can improve at providing high-quality health care and benefits to veterans in Kansas and across the country.
As the current Ranking Member and the incoming Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I am dedicated to serving and improving the lives of all of America’s veterans. I look forward to working with President Trump and the new VA Secretary to support the changing needs of veterans and their families. I would like to thank Bob and The Hill for asking me to speak at this event, and I look forward to continuing these conversations in the coming months.
You can read more about the event here in the Hill.
Authorizing New VA Medical Facilities
This week, legislation I introduced with Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) to renovate Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities and start construction on new VA medical facilities passed the Senate and will now go to the President’s desk to be signed into law. The VA Major Medical Facility Authorization Act will make certain VA can continue to bring high-quality services to veterans through new and updated VA medical centers and facilities around the country by authorizing VA construction projects in 11 different states. I would like to thank Sen. Tester for leading this legislation with me, along with our other cosponsors and look forward to it becoming law.
Relief for Farmers & Ranchers Remains a Priority
Over the past several weeks, I added more than 6,000 miles to my truck driving across Kansas to meet with farmers, ranchers, processors and lenders. The message in many of the communities I visited was that they need certainty, and they need it now.
Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, released text for a Farm Bill this week. I was optimistic we would be in better shape to deliver certainty to our farmers and ranchers through a new Farm Bill, but Sen. Stabenow’s legislation is over a year late and missed the opportunity for bipartisan solutions.
In the absence of a new Farm Bill, I am working closely with leaders on the Senate Ag Committee and Senate Ag Appropriations Subcommittee to negotiate disaster and economic assistance for farmers and ranchers who have suffered from disasters and drought and continue to feel operational challenges due to high inflation on inputs, equipment and fuel. I am encouraged that with new leadership in Congress and the White House, we can and will deliver certainty to rural communities soon.
You can read more about Farm Bill priorities in Farm Talk, here.
Electing New Senate Leadership
This week, Republican Senators elected Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) as the new Senate Majority Leader. I stand ready to work with John and President Trump to lower prices, secure the southern border, promote domestic energy production and bolster our national security. John and I were elected to Congress the same year, and during our time serving together, he has demonstrated that he is a fighter for conservative values and will be a positive force to get things done for the American people.
I appreciate Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Sen. Rick Scott’s (R-Fla.) willingness to serve their colleagues and the American people and continue to be valuable members of the Senate.
Meeting with Axiom Space
On Wednesday, I met with the CEO and Executive Chairman of Axiom Space Kam Ghaffarian and President Matt Ondler. Axiom Space – which has three key suppliers in Kansas – is a provider of human spaceflight services and developer of human-rated space infrastructure. In 2022, the company successfully completed the first private mission to the International Space Station (ISS) and is currently vying for a contract to build the first commercial space station as NASA intends to retire the ISS by the end of the decade. We discussed some of the industry’s concerns associated with NASA’s timeline for selecting the bid to replace the ISS, as well as Axiom’s role in the Artemis Program, providing the spacesuit and lunar rover to be used for the Artemis III mission. I appreciated the opportunity to meet Mr. Ghaffarian and Mr. Ondler and their insight on how to continue growing our nation’s commercial space industry.
Meeting with Kansans
Kansas Hospital Association
On Wednesday, I had the opportunity to meet with the Kansas Hospital Association Executive Committee in my Washington, D.C. office to discuss the challenges facing hospitals in Kansas. One of the key issues we addressed was the alarming rise in rural hospital closures across our state and our shared commitment to making certain individuals have access to care in rural communities. I remain focused on protecting the federal programs that provide vital support to Kansas' rural hospitals, including the new Rural Emergency Hospital designation, which offers a lifeline to many of these facilities. We also discussed the importance of stabilizing the 340B Drug Pricing Program which helps hospitals and other covered entities provide affordable care to underserved communities by allowing them to purchase outpatient drugs at discounted prices.
Thank you to Carrie Lutz, Bobby Olm-Shipman, George Stover, Chad Austin, Audrey Dunkel and Landon Fulmer for taking the time to meet with me and for their ongoing advocacy on behalf of Kansas hospitals and patients.
American Ambulance Association
On Wednesday, I met with members of American Ambulance Association (AAA) Stars of Life honorees to discuss the importance of air ambulances in rural areas across the country like Kansas. During our meeting, the honorees from Kansas presented me with their 2024 Legislative Recognition Award for my work to support the air ambulance industry. One provision in the legislation would require VA to delay a rule change for reimbursement rates for air and ground transportation until 2029, which protects rural veterans’ access to lifesaving emergency medical transportation services. I have been working to change this because it is critical that rural operators are able to offer their services to VA and that veterans receive lifesaving care when they need it most. I would like to thank Frank, Josh and Jason from Kansas for taking the time to meet with me and for all the work they do to help veterans.
Combatting Federal Regulatory Overreach
On Friday, I joined my colleagues in the Senate and the House of Representatives in filing an amicus brief in Texas v. U.S. Department of Transportation opposing unauthorized greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions rules issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The brief encourages the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to uphold a previous court decision that ruled that FHWA lacks statutory authority to impose these onerous requirements on state and local authorities. The FHWA rule requires that state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations measure GHG emissions on their roadways and establish declining emissions targets. During debates regarding the provisions of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Congress decided against providing the necessary authority for the FHWA to issue such a requirement. DOT and FHWA ignored congressional intent and proceeded with this rulemaking, establishing burdensome regulations that create a one-size-fits-all approach for states.
Kansas’ transportation authorities, including the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) and local government entities, should be allowed to oversee their roadways as they see fit. I will continue to advocate on behalf of Kansans for the principles of federalism and against federal overreach.
Full text of the amicus brief is available here.
Kansas Through the Eyes of its Senator
On Saturday, I hosted high school students from across Kansas at Fort Hays State University (FHSU) who are applying for admission to a United States Service Academy. Throughout the day, my Service Academy Selection Board interviewed 77 prospective candidates and made recommendations on who I should nominate to the Service Academies, which include the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.
Making appointments to the Service Academies is one of my greatest privileges as a United States Senator. The individuals we interviewed represent some of the best, brightest and most dedicated young people our state has to offer. Their willingness and desire to serve our country and attend such rigorous institutions is inspiring and makes me optimistic for the future of our country.
Thank you to FHSU Foundation President and CEO Jason Williby and the FHSU Foundation for hosting our interviews. Thank you also to FHSU President Tisa Mason for providing a warm welcome on behalf of the university and for joining the candidates and me for lunch. Lastly, I extend my gratitude to my Service Academy Selection Board for the thoughtful consideration and time they put into the interviews and selection process.
You can read about my Service Academy Selection Board here.
Discussing the Future of Veterans Care
On Wednesday morning, I joined Editor in Chief of The Hill, Bob Cusack, for a discussion on the future of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and how Congress can best support veterans next Congress. We discussed ways the VA can improve at providing high-quality health care and benefits to veterans in Kansas and across the country.
As the current Ranking Member and the incoming Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I am dedicated to serving and improving the lives of all of America’s veterans. I look forward to working with President Trump and the new VA Secretary to support the changing needs of veterans and their families. I would like to thank Bob and The Hill for asking me to speak at this event, and I look forward to continuing these conversations in the coming months.
You can read more about the event here in the Hill.
Authorizing New VA Medical Facilities
This week, legislation I introduced with Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) to renovate Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities and start construction on new VA medical facilities passed the Senate and will now go to the President’s desk to be signed into law. The VA Major Medical Facility Authorization Act will make certain VA can continue to bring high-quality services to veterans through new and updated VA medical centers and facilities around the country by authorizing VA construction projects in 11 different states. I would like to thank Sen. Tester for leading this legislation with me, along with our other cosponsors and look forward to it becoming law.
Relief for Farmers & Ranchers Remains a Priority
Over the past several weeks, I added more than 6,000 miles to my truck driving across Kansas to meet with farmers, ranchers, processors and lenders. The message in many of the communities I visited was that they need certainty, and they need it now.
Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, released text for a Farm Bill this week. I was optimistic we would be in better shape to deliver certainty to our farmers and ranchers through a new Farm Bill, but Sen. Stabenow’s legislation is over a year late and missed the opportunity for bipartisan solutions.
In the absence of a new Farm Bill, I am working closely with leaders on the Senate Ag Committee and Senate Ag Appropriations Subcommittee to negotiate disaster and economic assistance for farmers and ranchers who have suffered from disasters and drought and continue to feel operational challenges due to high inflation on inputs, equipment and fuel. I am encouraged that with new leadership in Congress and the White House, we can and will deliver certainty to rural communities soon.
You can read more about Farm Bill priorities in Farm Talk, here.
Electing New Senate Leadership
This week, Republican Senators elected Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) as the new Senate Majority Leader. I stand ready to work with John and President Trump to lower prices, secure the southern border, promote domestic energy production and bolster our national security. John and I were elected to Congress the same year, and during our time serving together, he has demonstrated that he is a fighter for conservative values and will be a positive force to get things done for the American people.
I appreciate Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Sen. Rick Scott’s (R-Fla.) willingness to serve their colleagues and the American people and continue to be valuable members of the Senate.
Meeting with Axiom Space
On Wednesday, I met with the CEO and Executive Chairman of Axiom Space Kam Ghaffarian and President Matt Ondler. Axiom Space – which has three key suppliers in Kansas – is a provider of human spaceflight services and developer of human-rated space infrastructure. In 2022, the company successfully completed the first private mission to the International Space Station (ISS) and is currently vying for a contract to build the first commercial space station as NASA intends to retire the ISS by the end of the decade. We discussed some of the industry’s concerns associated with NASA’s timeline for selecting the bid to replace the ISS, as well as Axiom’s role in the Artemis Program, providing the spacesuit and lunar rover to be used for the Artemis III mission. I appreciated the opportunity to meet Mr. Ghaffarian and Mr. Ondler and their insight on how to continue growing our nation’s commercial space industry.
Meeting with Kansans
Kansas Hospital Association
On Wednesday, I had the opportunity to meet with the Kansas Hospital Association Executive Committee in my Washington, D.C. office to discuss the challenges facing hospitals in Kansas. One of the key issues we addressed was the alarming rise in rural hospital closures across our state and our shared commitment to making certain individuals have access to care in rural communities. I remain focused on protecting the federal programs that provide vital support to Kansas' rural hospitals, including the new Rural Emergency Hospital designation, which offers a lifeline to many of these facilities. We also discussed the importance of stabilizing the 340B Drug Pricing Program which helps hospitals and other covered entities provide affordable care to underserved communities by allowing them to purchase outpatient drugs at discounted prices.
Thank you to Carrie Lutz, Bobby Olm-Shipman, George Stover, Chad Austin, Audrey Dunkel and Landon Fulmer for taking the time to meet with me and for their ongoing advocacy on behalf of Kansas hospitals and patients.
American Ambulance Association
On Wednesday, I met with members of American Ambulance Association (AAA) Stars of Life honorees to discuss the importance of air ambulances in rural areas across the country like Kansas. During our meeting, the honorees from Kansas presented me with their 2024 Legislative Recognition Award for my work to support the air ambulance industry. One provision in the legislation would require VA to delay a rule change for reimbursement rates for air and ground transportation until 2029, which protects rural veterans’ access to lifesaving emergency medical transportation services. I have been working to change this because it is critical that rural operators are able to offer their services to VA and that veterans receive lifesaving care when they need it most. I would like to thank Frank, Josh and Jason from Kansas for taking the time to meet with me and for all the work they do to help veterans.
Combatting Federal Regulatory Overreach
On Friday, I joined my colleagues in the Senate and the House of Representatives in filing an amicus brief in Texas v. U.S. Department of Transportation opposing unauthorized greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions rules issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The brief encourages the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to uphold a previous court decision that ruled that FHWA lacks statutory authority to impose these onerous requirements on state and local authorities. The FHWA rule requires that state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations measure GHG emissions on their roadways and establish declining emissions targets. During debates regarding the provisions of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Congress decided against providing the necessary authority for the FHWA to issue such a requirement. DOT and FHWA ignored congressional intent and proceeded with this rulemaking, establishing burdensome regulations that create a one-size-fits-all approach for states.
Kansas’ transportation authorities, including the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) and local government entities, should be allowed to oversee their roadways as they see fit. I will continue to advocate on behalf of Kansans for the principles of federalism and against federal overreach.
Full text of the amicus brief is available here.
Kansas Through the Eyes of its Senator
Capitol Tour
Brooklynn Chaitman of Olathe
Eric Chaitman of Olathe
Holly Chaitman of Olathe
Sidney Chaitman of Olathe
Nancy Mabes of Osawatomie
American Ambulance Association
Frank Alba
Josh Cavaness
Jason Florance
GuidePost Strategies
Ryan Canfield of Prairie Village
Harvesters - The Community Food Network
Karen Siebert of Prairie Village
Kansas Hospital Association Executive Committee
Chad Austin
Audrey Dunkel
Landon Fulmer
Carrie Lutz
Bobby Olm-Shipman
George Stover
National Immigration Forum
Brenda Hardin of Salina
Jeff Isaacs of Wichita
Kriegshauser Law Group
Ryan Kriegshauser of Olathe
Overland Park Chamber of Commerce
Josh Beck of Overland Park
India Boulton of Overland Park
Reagan Cussimanio of Overland Park
Tracey Osborne Oltjen of Overland Park
Kevin Walker of Overland Park
Kim Winslow of Overland Park
Textron e-Aviation
Joe DeVooght of Wichita
Eric Hannis of Wichita
Kriya Shortt of Wichita
U.S. State Department – Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange
Henry Genuit of Manhattan
Nikolas Lenhardt of Paola
Jonathan Rothfuchs of Kansas City
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