Advancing Legislation to Protect the Southern Border

Advancing Legislation to Protect the Southern Border
This week, I voted to pass a budget resolution – a necessary first step – to provide increased protections for the southern border and strengthen our national security. The crisis at the southern border has posed a national security risk and led to deadly drugs, human traffickers and thousands of migrants illegally entering the country. The President has taken quick action to address this crisis, but it will take more resources and manpower to build a sustainable security structure to keep the border safe long-term. This resolution is a necessary first step to enable Congress to deliver cutting-edge technology and permanent infrastructure to assist border patrol in their task of apprehending dangerous individuals and stopping the flow fentanyl. Keeping our nation safe also requires investing in our military, and this legislation unlocks Congress’ ability to bolster our defense capabilities to counter rising threats around the globe and make certain our servicemembers are equipped with the necessary tools to protect our nation.

Questioning Deputy Secretary of Transportation Nominee
During a hearing at the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, I questioned Steven Bradbury, President Trump’s nominee for Deputy Secretary of Transportation. I asked about his plans for implementation of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, his commitment to the critical services provided by the Essential Air Service (EAS) program, and his plans to support the department’s response to the tragic crash of American Airlines Flight 5342. If confirmed, I look forward to working with Mr. Bradbury and Secretary Duffy, in my role as chair of the Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space and Innovation, to advance and implement critical legislation to promote America’s continued leadership in aviation safety and innovation.

You can watch my questions here.

Standing with Ukraine
Three years after Vladimir Putin ordered Russia’s unjustified invasion of Ukraine, the war’s death and destruction continues to destabilize the wider world. Putin must be isolated, and Ukraine must be supported by the U.S. and its allies until a just and lasting peace is won.

National Guard Caucus Breakfast
This week, I had the opportunity to visit with Maj. Gen. Michael Venerdi, the Kansas Adjutant General (TAG), at the annual Senate National Guard Caucus Breakfast. This event is attended by senior leaders of the National Guard Bureau and TAGs from 54 states and territories to discuss the Guard's priorities. Maj. Gen. Venerdi and I discussed ongoing Kansas Guard initiatives, which I am working to support in my role as a senior member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and a member of the Senate National Guard Caucus. I am thankful for Maj. Gen. Venerdi's continued service to the United States and Kansas, and I look forward to continuing my work to make certain we have the world's most capable military force.

Hosting General George in Wichita
On Sunday, I hosted the Army's Chief of Staff, Randy George, in Wichita to highlight Kansas' important work on Army programs.

We visited Wichita State University's National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) to highlight the ongoing work being done for the Army to solve real-world problems for the warfighter. General George's visit also included a stop at Bell's new facility, which will provide the cabin on the Army's Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, eventually replacing the Blackhawk fleet. This is a critical modernization effort that Wichita will have a critical role in supporting for decades to come. The last stop was at Bombardier to highlight their progress in delivering the High-Altitude Detection and Exploitation System (HADES). This platform uses a Bombardier Global 6500 to provide combatant commanders with game-changing surveillance capability.

I am thankful for General George's continued interest in Kansas' soldiers and industrial base capability. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and co-chair of the Senate Army Caucus, I look forward to continuing our work to make certain we have the world's most lethal military.

Expanding GI Bill Benefits for Guardsmen and Reservists
On Thursday, I introduced legislation with Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) to expand GI Bill benefits to members of the National Guard and Reserve components who serve under specific duty statuses. Education is one of the greatest investments we can make in our servicemembers, and the Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act of 2025 makes certain guardsmen and reservists accrue the same educational benefits and opportunities as their active-duty counterparts when carrying out the same responsibilities.

You can learn more about the legislation here.

Introducing Legislation to Improve Scheduling for Veterans
This week, I was joined by Sens. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Tedd Budd (R-N.C.) in introducing legislation that would permanently authorize and expand the External Provider Scheduling (EPS) Program at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The EPS program makes it quicker and easier to schedule needed health care appointments for veterans in the community by allowing VA to view the schedules of community care providers. Veterans should not have to wait weeks or months to obtain the care and services they have earned. In initial rollout phases, EPS led to a 65% improvement in the timeliness of community care scheduling and increased scheduler productivity from seven appointments a day to more than 20. Our legislation would make certain that more veterans benefit from these enhancements in Kansas and across the nation.

You can read the full text of the legislation here.

Raising Concerns on Avian Flu Outbreak
The Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has devastated the egg and poultry industries in America, driving prices up for consumers. I joined my colleagues in requesting information from Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins regarding the need for a robust response to the outbreak of HPAI. That is why it is so important that we maintain the staff at USDA and our research facilities, like NBAF, that are at the forefront of responding to this disease. It is my hope that Secretary Rollins will take this threat seriously and take steps to combat the spread of HPAI.

You can read more about this in Fox News, here.

Expanding Year-Round E15 Sales
I reintroduced the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025 alongside Sens. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), which would allow the year-round, nationwide sale of 15% ethanol fuel, also known as E15. Under current regulations, E15 cannot be sold in the summer, but by eliminating this unnecessary prohibition, fuel producers and consumers will have greater certainty, and we will see lower prices at the pump. Diversifying the energy market is beneficial for our country and will continue to provide opportunities for our farmers to market their crops. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this legislation passed.

Introducing Legislation to Prevent Wildfires
Kansas has experienced devastating wildfires in recent years, and containing and recovering from these disasters is an all-hands-on-deck effort. Kansans understand the importance of proactively working to keep our land healthy and free of undergrowth that can make these fires worse. That is why I joined my colleagues in introducing a bill that would promote research on how grazing can support wildfire mitigation. By helping drive research at universities like Kansas State University into grazing land management techniques, we can make certain our ranchers have a role to play when we consider the right way to steward our land and work to prevent these fires from starting in the first place.

Cutting Taxes on Broadband Grants
On Thursday, I introduced legislation with Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) to cut taxes for broadband providers that receive federal broadband deployment grants, allowing them to deploy networks to unserved areas in rural Kansas. Currently, broadband providers must pay taxes on federal grants they receive, reducing the reach of that funding. This legislation excludes federal broadband grants from taxable income to maximize the impacts of these grants and to prevent that money from finding its way back into government coffers.

Bolstering Energy Production
On Tuesday, Sen. Coons and I reintroduced legislation which would expand certain financing tools to expand domestic energy production. The legislation would allow renewable energy resources and infrastructure projects to form as master limited partnerships (MLPs), a tax structure currently only available to traditional energy projects. Projects like advanced nuclear, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), hydrogen, biodiesel, biomass and carbon capture are included as eligible energy sources. To provide reliable and inexpensive energy, it is crucial to spur innovation that uses a market-based approach to energy production.

Creating Transparency for Pharmacy Benefit Managers
I joined Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) in introducing the Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) Transparency Act. This bipartisan legislation addresses deceptive and unfair drug pricing practices PBMs have been engaging in for years, which have hurt our pharmacies and driven up prescription drug costs for Kansans. Independent and community pharmacies in Kansas and across the nation are the places where patients can go to fill their prescription, see a friendly face and know they have local access to care. I remain committed to working to advance legislation, like the PBM Transparency Act, to rein in deceptive practices of PBMs and sustain our independent and community pharmacies.

You can read more about this legislation in KWCH here.

Reversing Harmful Firearm Regulations
This week, I joined my Senate colleagues in calling on the Deputy Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Marvin Richardson, to withdraw several Biden administration policies that infringed on Kansans’ Second Amendment rights. We requested the new leadership to align agency policy with the priorities of the Trump administration. I will remain a staunch advocate of Kansans’ Second Amendment rights and look forward to working with the Trump administration to make certain that our rights are protected.

Protecting Resources for Individuals with Disabilities
This week, I joined Sens. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) in introducing the Ensuring Nationwide Access to a Better Life Experience (ENABLE) Act. This bill builds off the original Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act which I helped pass through Congress in 2014. The ABLE Act created tax-free savings accounts for Americans with disabilities, to provide them with better options to plan for their future. The original legislation has since been built upon several times as we’ve sought to improve and extend the program. The ENABLE Act extends some of these reforms which are set to expire at the end of this year. As co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Down Syndrome, I look forward to seeing this bill signed into law so that Americans with disabilities can continue to access these savings accounts and have flexibility investing in their futures.

Meeting with Cargill
On Wednesday, I met with Brian Sikes, the CEO of Cargill. We spoke about the company’s presence in Kansas and the work the company is undertaking in 2025. Cargill employs thousands of Kansans, and the headquarters of their protein business is in Wichita. I appreciated the opportunity to discuss the importance of a strong trade agenda and one that benefits American farmers, ranchers and producers, as well as the need to pass a Farm Bill. As a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, I look forward to working with Brian and other industry stakeholders on these issues to provide certainty to the agriculture industry.

Working to Reduce Disruptions at Haskell
This week, I was informed of the termination of certain probationary federal employees at Haskell Indian Nations University as part of the administration’s directive to shrink the size of the federal workforce. This directive affected 35 members of Haskell’s faculty, representing a loss of nearly 23% of Haskell’s total staff. I am concerned that a cut in personnel of this size will affect Haskell’s ability to fulfill its educational mission to indigenous students. I have requested more information from Secretary Burgum on these layoffs and urged the Secretary to make certain the university has an adequate workforce to prevent disruptions for students enrolled at Haskell.

I will continue working with the tribal community to refine draft text of the Haskell Indian Nations Improvement Act, legislation I plan to introduce with Representative Tracey Mann to provide the university with a federal charter, separating it from the Bureau of Indian Education. The termination of Haskell employees underscores the urgency of disentangling the university from federal oversight, allowing Haskell to better serve Native students more effectively.

Recognizing National FFA Week
This week is National Future Farmers of America (FFA) Week – a time to recognize Kansas FFA Association and their commitment to the future success of Kansas agriculture. FFA is dedicated to developing ag leaders and innovators of the future who invest in their organizations, local communities and friendships. I look forward to seeing how FFA members will continue to impact the world around them in years to come. Pictured below is the FFA 2022 Class in Washington, D.C.

Kansans in the Office

Capital Tours
Jennifer Fenton of Topeka

Rebecca Idiaquez of Topeka

William Hortenstine of Topeka

William Hortenstine II of Topeka

American Psychological Association
Bruce Liese of Lawrence

Jason Malousek of Overland Park

Global Ties Kansas City
Courtney Brooks of Kansas City

Office of the Governor of Kansas
Laura Kelly of Topeka

Principals First
Brandon Kenig of Shawnee

Brad Bryant of Silver Lake

Elaine Stephen of Wichita

Greg Bryant of Robinson

Matt Franzenburg of Wichita

Stephanie Sharp of Wichita

William Bryant of Overland Park

Secure Passage KC
Kirk Cerny of Kansas City

Rod Eisenhauer of Kansas City

Kansas Common Sense

Advancing Legislation to Protect the Southern Border

Feb 24 2025

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