Kansas Common Sense

Crossing the Pacific to Connect Kansas and Japan
Last week, I traveled to Japan to meet with companies that have invested in Kansas and to talk to Japanese officials about how to deepen the partnership between the U.S. and Japan on defense and agricultural priorities.

Panasonic
Panasonic is nearing completion of the $4 billion, 4.7 million square-foot battery manufacturing facility in De Soto that will create 4,000 jobs in Kansas. This investment adds a new dimension to our state’s economy, diversifying our economic interests to include cutting-edge manufacturing work in a vital technology of the future.

I met with Panasonic executives to receive an update on construction progress in De Soto and to learn more about potential challenges facing the company as it expands its presence in the U.S., including supply chain and workforce issues. The project is on pace to open early next year, and the team working at the facility is rapidly expanding. I will continue to work with Panasonic to ensure that the talented Kansas workforce is able to ensure this investment is a success.

Thank you to Panasonic Energy CEO Kazuo Tadanobu, Panasonic Energy Executive Vice President Yasuaki Takamoto, Panasonic Government and External Relations General Director Yoshihisa Tanaka, Panasonic Energy Strategic Planning, Policy, and External Relations General Manager Goro Naruse, Panasonic Energy Policy and External Relations Senior Manager Daisuke Takahashi, and Panasonic Government and External Relations Manager Eilchi Nakamura for meeting with me.
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Kubota
Kubota is a Japanese heavy-equipment manufacturer with a facility in Edgerton that owns Salina-based Great Plains Manufacturing, which specializes in making agricultural equipment. Kubota has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Kansas since purchasing Great Plains, including building a new tractor manufacturing facility in Salina. I spoke to Kubota executives about workforce issues and the importance of Congress passing a Farm Bill and how that would impact their business.

Updating the Farm Bill, which provides critical support to our farmers and ranchers, would help stabilize farm income, which is projected to be 27 percent less this year compared to 2022. This decrease negatively impacts the ability of farmers and ranchers to purchase farm equipment, extending the impact of congressional inaction on the Farm Bill to the manufacturing industry in Kansas. I recently spoke on the Senate floor about the importance of renewing the Farm Bill and will continue pushing for action on this legislation that is vital to our state.

Thank you to Director and Senior Managing Executive Officer Shingo Hanada, Construction Machinery Division General Manager Katsuhiko Yukawa, Agricultural Implement Division General Manager Hideki Mori, Farm and Industrial Machinery Planning and Control General Manager Naoki Shuzenji, and Farm and Industrial Machinery Planning and Control Section Manager Nobuaki Ohashi for the discussion.
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Meeting with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense
Japan is a critical ally of the United States, and deeper cooperation on defense and economic security issues will be vital as we address regional security threats from China, North Korea and Russia. I was pleased to meet with the Japanese Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense to discuss these issues, and to see firsthand how U.S. companies are supporting the Japanese Self Defense Forces (JSDF) in securing their territory.
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Visiting Military Bases in Japan
During the meetings with Japanese Ministers, I emphasized the importance U.S.-Japan cooperation on defense issues, including the implementation of the joint force headquarters plan announced earlier this year, as well as strengthening regional partnerships to deter Chinese aggression against our partners in the region. I also highlighted my support for providing Japan with U.S. defense articles in greater quantities and efficiency to bolster their ability to defend themselves.
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I also visited Misawa Air Base and the nearby Japan Coast Guard Base to learn more about reconnaissance operations in northern Japan. Northrop Grumman and General Atomics assist the JSDF and the Coast Guard with these efforts, and I was pleased to learn more about how US companies are cooperating with the Japanese government at a high level to ensure regional security.
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Thank you to Minister of Foreign Affairs Takeshi Iwaya, Minister of Defense Gen Nakatani, Misawa Air Base Commander Colonel Paul Davidson and Dave Alexander of General Atomics for meeting with me during these visits.
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Meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
My final meeting in Japan was with the Ministry of Agriculture to highlight the importance of the Japanese market for Kansas agricultural products, in particular beef and wheat. For Kansas, Japan is the number one market for beef and American-style steaks are now found regularly in Japanese restaurants. In 2023, the United States exported $1.8 billion of beef products to Japan, but in 2024 Japan is on pace to surpass $2 billion of U.S. beef products and overtake South Korea as the top market for American beef. Japan is a top importer for both beef and wheat commodities, although market share has decreased in recent years due to a strong dollar, drought and competition from Canada. Japan is the third largest market for U.S. wheat exports, valued at over $690 million in 2023 and averaging around $710 million per year for the past five years.

We also discussed the Farm Bill which provides resources to farmers and ranchers in Kansas to promote and expand export markets and agricultural conservation programs that mitigate drought conditions. I am committed to working with my colleagues in the Senate to produce an updated and robust Farm Bill that will give our producers market certainty and drought relief. I also talked about the increasing role that sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, will play in the Kansas agricultural economy and how the U.S. and Japan can work together on this rapidly expanding industry.

Thank you to Vice Minister Shouji Maitachi for speaking with me about issues critical to Kansas farmers and ranchers.
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Calling on VA to Review Electronic System Failure
This week, VA informed me of a system failure that resulted in 875 files sent to the VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System to go missing. These files dated as far back as June 11, 2024, and contained medical documentation, care referrals, authorizations for care and other information needed for the coordination of veteran health care. 

I have asked VA to quickly review every file and take all appropriate actions to mitigate patient harm that has or may result from this system failure. Additionally, I have requested VA to quickly review each of the other 27 health care systems across the Veterans Health Administration that use this same electronic fax system in order to identify similar issues and assist any patients whose care has been negatively impacted. My office will remain in contact with VA until the full scope of this problem is known and all necessary corrective actions are taken. If you or someone you know needs help with this issue, please contact my office here.

You can read more about this system issue here in KSNT.

Supporting a Competitive Space Launch Industry
This week, I called on Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Mike Whitaker regarding the urgent need for changes to the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) and FAA’s implementation of their launch and reentry regulatory framework. The current framework is administered inconsistently, and America’s stakeholders in the space launch industry have raised concerns with how FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) administers its formal licensing process and informal pre-application review. These issues are compounded by congressional requirements, which have resulted in a backlog of launches critical to research and development initiatives and America’s national security. We need to improve the transparency, accountability and efficiency of these processes to preserve and advance America’s preeminence in space. I also raised several questions regarding sources of regulatory inefficiency at DOT, FAA and AST, the implementation and use of congressional resources and how to address internal obstacles.

Launch and reentry regulations should not compromise public safety or innovation. As an authorizer and lead appropriator for FAA, NASA, and other agencies involved in America’s space mission, I am hopeful that, through continued coordination among these stakeholders and industry partners, these concerns can be resolved in a timely manner.

Launched: New Federal Guidance for Advanced Air Mobility
On Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) to integrate next-generation aircraft, including electric, hybrid, hydrogen-powered “air taxis” and advanced air mobility (AAM) industry into America’s aviation sector. The rule will establish requirements for pilot and instructor training as well as the aircraft operations necessary to enable integration of these vehicles into the National Airspace System (NAS).

FAA’s announcement follows legislation I introduced that helped with the initiation of FAA’s rulemaking. I look forward to reviewing this rulemaking and making certain it reflects safety-based comments provided by industry stakeholders to unleash the full potential of the industry. Creating an environment that promotes safety and allows for continued innovation is necessary to maintain our nation’s competitive edge in aviation. This rule is an important step toward achieving that goal.
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Supporting H-2B Visas for Seasonal Jobs
This week, I joined my colleagues in urging the Department of Labor and the Department of Homeland Security to release the maximum number of H-2B visas for Fiscal Year 2025. H-2B visas are critical to the Kansas economy as employers from across the state, with many in agriculture, require seasonal labor to help meet the demand of their customers. I will continue working to find ways to make certain Kansas has the workforce needed to be successful.

Examining VA’s Implementation of the PACT Act
On Tuesday, I joined my colleagues Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Angus King (I-Maine), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and John Boozman (R-Ark.) on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee in requesting a Government Accountability Office (GAO) review of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ presumptive decision making process that was required by the PACT Act.  The new presumptive decision-making framework would make it easier for VA to establish, expand or remove presumptions of service connection, simplifying the process for veterans to receive disability compensation from VA. This GAO review will help ensure that the new framework is scientifically based, fair, consistent, transparent, timely and veteran-centric, and that VA is appropriately partnering with Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) and other stakeholders. The PACT Act was the largest expansion of health care and benefits for veterans in decades, and I look forward to continuing bipartisan work to make certain VA is implementing the PACT Act as Congress intended and meeting the needs of toxic-exposed veterans and their families in Kansas and across the nation.

Inaction on the Border
Since taking office, the Biden administration and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas have failed to enact effective policies to stop the flow of illegal migration and keep our country safe. Just in September alone, Customs and Border Patrol apprehended 101,790 migrants attempting to enter our county illegally. The Secure the Border Act, a commonsense piece of legislation that would reinstate the border security policies we know to work, has been sitting on Sen. Schumer’s desk for over 150 days. I will continue to call for action on this legislation to bring it up for a vote, and it is my hope that the Senate will pass this bill to help keep our country safe and appropriately track the flow of migrants.

Recognizing Down Syndrome Awareness Month
October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. As co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Down Syndrome and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I am grateful that efforts to increase investments in Down syndrome research have significantly improved over past years. This month is an opportunity to honor the Down syndrome community, their families, caretakers and leaders in the advocacy and medical research fields for their work to improve the quality of life for individuals with Down syndrome.
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Visits Across Kansas
Horton High School
On Friday, I stopped by Horton High School for a tour. During my visit, I met with faculty and staff as Carly Hutfles, Dalton Nioce, and Victoria Jelks showed me their campus and talked about the opportunities at Holton. Thanks to Horton High School Principal Larry Mills and students Carly, Dalton and Victoria for taking the time to meet with me.
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Holton Community Hospital
After my visit at the high school, I went to Holton Community Hospital. Hospital CEO Carrie Lutz showed me the facility, and we discussed the significant role rural hospitals play in supporting local areas and providing life-saving care. Our rural hospital workers keep communities thriving and without them, communities struggle to succeed. Thanks to Carrie, RN Kathyrn Smith, RN Makayla Slocum and Surgery Technician Torri Marney and the hospital staff for showing me around and talking about the work you do.
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Early Voting is Open in Kansas
Early voting for the 2024 general election is now open in the state of Kansas. You can cast your vote early in-person by visiting one of your county election offices or at satellite voting locations before 12:00 p.m. on Monday, November 4th. Kansas voters also have the option to vote by mail prior to election day.

If you wish to vote by mail, the deadline to submit your advance voting application is Tuesday, October 29th. To look up your polling location or find more information about the election, click here.

Kansas Through the Eyes of its Senator
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Great to be at the Bill Snyder Family Stadium for the 122nd Sunflower Showdown!

 

Capitol Tours
Ashley Asano of Lawrence

Emma Becker of Halstead

Levi Becker of Halstead

Max Becker of Halstead

Nathan Becker of Halstead

Parker Becker of Halstead

Tori Becker of Halstead

Nicholas Carr of Olathe

Katheryn Graham of Leawood

Lawrence Graham of Leawood

Nicole Humphrey of Lawrence

Coen Numrich of Hays

Gavin Numrich of Hays

Nolan Numrich of Hays

Ragen Numrich of Hays

Wells Numrich of Hays

Cindy Strube of Hays

Kevin Strube of Hays

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