Welcoming Kansas Honor Flights to the Nation's Capital
This week, I welcomed Kansas Honor Flights, including veterans from Plainville and Hays, to Washington, D.C. This program provides veterans with the opportunity to visit the nation's capital. It pays tribute to their service by visiting various memorials dedicated to their sacrifices, including the WWII Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, and Arlington National Cemetery.



I’m grateful to recognize these Honor Flights and witness the impacts these trips have on the men and women who have served our country – especially at the memorials built in their honor. These meetings with veterans, who have given so much to our nation, remind me of the importance of showing gratitude and appreciation to those who have served our country. These moments also serve as an important reminder to the rest of us that we owe a great deal to those who have served and sacrificed.



It is Time to Reform Our Government's Broken Classification System
This week, as a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I spoke on the Senate floor to highlight the importance of reforming our government’s broken classification system. Our government is so overwhelmed protecting outdated documents that we have failed to meet the basic purpose of our classification system – protect classified information from bad actors.

It is important to improve our broken classification system to reduce costs, eliminate years of backlog and create a more efficient system. But there is another reason to do these beyond just the efficiency of good government. We now know it is also making our country more vulnerable. The disclosure of classified information threatens our country’s security, diminishes the safety of our military and damages our relationships with our allies. This week, I will join my Senate colleagues on the Intelligence Committee to introduce legislation to reform our classification system. Read more in the Wall Street Journal here.

You can watch my full speech here.

Leading Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing on Army Budget
I served as Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense during a hearing this week on the Army's FY2024 budget. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth and Chief of Staff of the Army General James McConville testified and answered questions on the Army's budget request. We are in a challenging national security situation. Despite these concerns, this administration’s budget request represents real growth of negative 2.4%.

As Co-Chair of the Senate Army Caucus and member of this important subcommittee, I emphasized this inadequate level of funding and the Army's recruitment struggles, as well as the potential negative impacts it will have on Army Force Structure in the near future. The Army is in the midst of its most severe recruiting crisis since the Vietnam War. Our Army's strength is its people, and recruiting is critical to the readiness of the service. The Army must adapt and train for new challenges and increasing requirements that require robust and established force structures across all military installations. I am grateful that General McConville recognized Fort Riley's vital part in this future warfare, and I will continue to highlight Kansas' role in the nation's safety and security.

I have the utmost appreciation for the sacrifices made by our brave servicemembers and their families, who selflessly serve and protect our great nation. I am committed to advocating for their continued care and well-being, and I will continue to highlight their significant contributions to upholding our freedoms and safeguarding our democracy.

You can watch my full remarks during the hearing here.

Calling for Spending Reforms in the Debt Ceiling Legislation
I joined 42 of my Republican Senate colleagues in signing a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stating we will not vote on any measure to raise the debt ceiling without substantial spending cuts and budget reforms.

As stated in our letter: "Our economy is in free fall due to unsustainable fiscal policies. This trajectory must be addressed with fiscal reforms. Moreover, recent Treasury projections have reinforced the urgency of addressing the debt ceiling. The House has taken a responsible first step in coming to the table with their proposals. It is imperative that the President now do the same."

You can read our full letter here.

Meeting with Kansans
Kansas Association of Nurse Anesthetists
On Tuesday, I was grateful for the opportunity to speak with members of the Kansas Association of Nurse Anesthetists. We discussed the importance of retaining and protecting our state’s medical providers, as well as the need to establish national standards of practice in various health care occupations. Thank you to the Kansas Association of Nurse Anesthetists for visiting with me and for their service to our state. Kansas patients and providers are better off because of their work and dedication.



CoBank
This week, I welcomed Catherine Moyer of Ulysses and Duane Anderson of Seneca, visiting with CoBank to discuss the Kansas agriculture economic outlook and reauthorization of the Farm Bill. Access to credit and capital availability is critical to so many rural Kansas communities, and preserving a strong crop insurance program makes certain Kansas farmers and ranchers can provide food and fiber in Kansas and around the world. I appreciate them taking the time to speak with me about their priorities.



Bloch School of Management's Executive MBA Program
On Wednesday, I had the opportunity to speak with students from the UMKC Bloch School of Management’s Executive MBA Program. We discussed a number of topics, including the national security issues facing the nation with recent intelligence leaks and the war in Ukraine. As these MBA candidates prepare to dive further into their business careers within their respective industries, I hope they will always consider Kansas home, continue investing in their professional development and help their fellow Kansans to reach their full potential in the business world.



Christ Lutheran School
I enjoyed the chance to speak with students from Christ Lutheran School in Lenexa during their 8th grade field trip to the nation’s capital. During this visit, I had the opportunity to show them around the United States Capitol. It is always special to see this incredible building through the eyes of young Kansans who visit.



Meeting with NightHawk Biosciences
I was pleased to meet with Jeff Wolf, CEO of Nighthawk Biosciences, to discuss expansion plans in Kansas. This new 500,000-square-foot facility, operated by Nighthawk subsidiary Scorpion will support biodefense and biomanufacturing in Manhattan and will provide more than $1 billion in economic value to Kansas. The combined crisis of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine have provided an urgent reminder that we must prioritize investment in our domestic supply chain to increase our nation’s biodefense and biotechnology capabilities. I appreciated the updates on the Scorpion facility and Nighthawk's decision to invest in Kansas – capitalizing on the incredible Kansas skilled workforce and universities.

Supporting Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses
Service-disabled veterans have the right to access certain benefits and programs specifically designed to help them overcome the challenges they may face due to their service-connected disabilities. Using self-certification for small business goals may seem like a quick and easy solution for federal agencies looking to meet their small business procurement goals. Still, it may not provide the necessary level of scrutiny and validation required to ensure that the benefits and programs are going to those who truly deserve them. The Stop Stolen Valor for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Contractors Act requires agencies to only take credit for contract awards made to certified service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.

Leading Effort to Restore Sovereign Status of Tribal Governments
Last week, I introduced the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act, legislation to restore the sovereign status of tribal governments across the nation. This bill amends the National Labor Relations Act to exempt tribally-owned entities operated on tribally-owned lands from the National Labor Relations Board and is supported by more than 160 Indian tribes and tribal corporations. The Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act would rightfully restore the sovereign status of tribal governments, and I will continue working with my colleagues to get this bill to the President’s desk.