Completely happy Kansas Day! – Kansas Frequent Sense

Completely happy Kansas Day!
On January 29, 1861, the nice state of Kansas was based. Every year, Kansans in every single place have fun the historical past, beliefs, individuals and pure magnificence that make our state distinctive. Our historical past is marked by the occasions and those who have formed us into the state we are actually, and I’m inspired by the numerous Kansans who paved the way in which earlier than us over time. I’m grateful for the chance to symbolize the individuals of our state within the U.S. Senate and aware of the numerous farmers, ranchers, academics, entrepreneurs, mother and father and numerous different unsung heroes who got here earlier than us.

Advert Astra Per Aspera. Completely happy birthday, Kansas!

Congrats to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs!
For the third time in 4 seasons, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs are headed to the Tremendous Bowl! This was actually a whole staff win and that features your complete coaching workers that helped get Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs prepared for the Bengals. It was additionally a particular second for Andy Reid and Clark Hunt to once more hoist the Lamar Hunt Trophy at Arrowhead Stadium in entrance of Chiefs Kingdom.

Internet hosting Kansas Listening Tour Cease
Ellis County
On Friday, I hosted a Kansas Listening Tour Cease in Ellis County to talk with space residents relating to crucial points dealing with our state and nation. We mentioned a lot of essential matters together with the disaster on the border, Ukraine, assist for our nation’s veterans, particular schooling funding and the FY2023 Appropriations Bundle.

Thanks to State Consultant Barb Wasinger, State Senator Rick Billinger and everybody else from Ellis County who joined.

Assembly with U.S. Military Chief of Workers Normal McConville
This week, I met with U.S. Military Chief of Workers Normal James McConville and Sergeant Main of the Military Michael Grinston. We mentioned my new position as co-chair of the Senate Military Caucus and the way this caucus may also help to advance Military priorities. Normal McConville acknowledges Kansas’ important position within the Military’s efforts to adapt and modernize the power. A robust U.S. Military is crucial to our nationwide safety, and I sit up for working alongside the Military to advocate for our troopers and their households. I will even proceed to make use of my position as a senior protection appropriator to assist Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth, permitting them to proceed their important roles in ongoing missions.

Receiving an Replace from DEA Administrator Anne Milgram
On Wednesday, I met with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Anne Milgram to debate an replace on the DEA’s efforts to battle the circulation of lethal fentanyl into the U.S. The DEA continues to focus on the 2 major cartels in Mexico that are actually working worldwide. These cartels are concerned within the trafficking of narcotics throughout the globe and are laundering a whole lot of tens of millions of {dollars}. In Kansas, the DEA has places of work in Kansas Metropolis, Wichita, Topeka and Backyard Metropolis the place they’re preventing drug-related violence in addition to the inflow of methamphetamine and fentanyl into our communities. I wish to thank Administrator Milgram and her staff for his or her work alongside state, county and native regulation enforcement to maintain our streets and communities secure.

Introducing Laws to Prohibit Sale of Oil from SPR to China
This week, I joined my colleagues in introducing laws that might prohibit the sale of American crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to any firm underneath the management of the Chinese language Communist Social gathering. This invoice would additionally prohibit the export of any crude oil from the SPR to China.

After excessive inflation and crippling power insurance policies contributed to record-high fuel costs, the Biden administration selected to launch oil from the nation’s emergency provide. Relatively than unleashing American power manufacturing, the Biden administration offered American crude oil from the SPR to the Chinese language Communist Social gathering. This choice has left our emergency power provide critically low, risking our nationwide safety and aiding the Chinese language authorities.

Introducing Laws to Assist Stop FAA System Outages
As co-chair of the Senate Journey and Tourism Caucus and member of the Senate committee with jurisdiction over the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), I joined Senators Amy Klobuchar and Shelley Moore Capito in introducing laws to check and assist forestall FAA system outages. This invoice would require the FAA to determine a activity power to strengthen the resiliency and cybersecurity of the Discover to Air Missions (NOTAM) system, which alerts pilots of security and site hazards on flight routes.

The FAA has a duty to make sure air journey within the U.S. is as secure and environment friendly as doable. The whole failure of the NOTAM system on January 11, 2023 stranded tens of millions of People and was a warning of the necessity to strengthen and modernize our air journey system. This laws will assist meet the calls for of twenty first century journey and assist forestall an identical failure sooner or later.

Assembly with Large Brothers Large Sisters
This week, I met with Artis Stevens, CEO of Large Brother Large Sisters of America, Mary Shannon, President and CEO of Large Brothers Large Sisters of Kansas, and Tim Midkiff, Chief Working Officer of Large Brother Large Sisters of America. We spoke concerning the work they’re doing to supply our younger individuals with optimistic position fashions and to set them up for fulfillment sooner or later.

For practically 100 years, Large Brothers Large Sisters has performed an essential position in our communities by offering mentorship to our youth who typically face overwhelming adversity. Every year, their one-on-one mentoring program gives hundreds of younger Kansans with a optimistic mentor and pal to assist them by way of powerful occasions and to assist in giving them brighter futures.

Assembly with Kansas Head Begin
It was nice to fulfill with members of Kansas Head Begin this week to listen to an replace on their efforts to make sure kids have the chance to start their schooling at a younger age. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor-HHS-Schooling, I stay dedicated to supporting the assets obligatory for Kansas Head Begin to proceed selling and offering early childhood schooling in our state. Thanks to Joanie Burke, Kwamea Smith, Megan Prepare dinner, Michelle Taylor and Kim Sill for his or her replace on this essential work.

Welcoming New Riley County Police Director Brian Peete
On Thursday night, I had the chance to affix Manhattan and your complete Riley County group in greeting Brian Peete, the newly chosen Riley County Police Division (RCPD) Director. I appreciated the prospect to fulfill Director Peete and to talk with him about his priorities for the division. Our county sheriffs, chiefs of police, state troopers and all regulation enforcement officers play a crucial position in maintaining our communities secure, and I’m grateful to Director Peete for his want to serve on this position.

Attending Kansas Affiliation of Wheat Growers Annual Assembly
This week, I attended the annual assembly of the Kansas Affiliation of Wheat Growers (KAWG) and the Kansas Wheat Commissioners (KWC) on the Kansas Wheat Innovation Heart in Manhattan. It was nice to meet up with the board members and to go to about what they hope to see included within the new Farm Invoice. We additionally spoke concerning the significance of a great wheat crop to the survival of many rural cities. The Kansas Wheat Innovation Heart has performed an important position in a robust wheat trade in our state for 10 years now, and I sit up for persevering with to work with KAWG and KWC to make sure our wheat farmers are profitable.

Talking on the Kansas Commodity Traditional 
This week, I joined members of Kansas Corn, Sorghum, Soybean and Wheat on the Kansas Commodity Traditional in Salina to debate their priorities for the upcoming Farm Invoice. We additionally spoke concerning the significance of crop insurance coverage as a danger administration software for Kansas producers and the present challenges dealing with our farmers and ranchers with rising fertilizer and enter prices. As well as, we mentioned the adverse impacts of the present administration’s insurance policies relating to Waters of the USA (WOTUS) and itemizing the lesser prairie-chicken as threatened.

These teams and their membership are a significant a part of our robust agriculture group in Kansas, and I wish to thank them for internet hosting me to talk about the numerous crucial points dealing with our farmers, ranchers and producers.

Efficiently Delaying Itemizing of Lesser Prairie-Rooster
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service introduced this week that it has delayed the efficient date of the ultimate rule to listing the lesser prairie-chicken underneath the Endangered Species Act till March 27, 2023. This extension comes after I joined my colleagues in calling on Division of the Inside Secretary Deb Haaland to delay the itemizing date. Whereas this delay offers trade stakeholders important time to organize, the selection to listing the lesser prairie-chicken as threatened regardless of voluntary, locally-driven conservation efforts will nonetheless negatively influence crucial industries in Kansas and take away any incentive for comparable native efforts for wildlife conservation sooner or later. I’m grateful for this extension, however I’ll proceed to work to cease the itemizing from going into impact.

Talking at Ribbon Chopping for Camber Hays
On Friday, I participated within the ribbon chopping for the Camber Youngsters’s Psychological Well being new constructing in Hays. This facility will permit Camber to enormously develop its affected person base, permitting for 600 extra children to be handled annually and serving to to make sure residents in Hays and the encircling communities have entry to high quality care. I wish to thank President Bobby Eklofe, KVC Well being Techniques CEO Jason Hooper, the beneficiant donors and workers at Camber Hays for offering care to our kids and serving to them to attain pleased, affluent lives.

Assembly with KVC Well being Techniques Management
Whereas in Hays, I additionally appreciated the prospect to fulfill with KVC Well being Techniques CEO Jason Hooper on Friday. We had a productive dialog about future initiatives and alternatives to extend entry to high quality well being take care of Kansans. I wish to thank Jason for taking the time to fulfill with me and for his ongoing efforts to supply care within the space.

Remembering and Honoring Victims of the Holocaust
Friday marked Holocaust Remembrance Day. Every year, we keep in mind the six million Jews and tens of millions extra who have been murdered through the Holocaust. Might we all the time keep in mind those that perished and honor the braveness and sacrificial love of those that risked or gave their lives to avoid wasting others.

In February 2020, I visited the focus camps in Auschwitz-Birkenau and signed the Remembrance E book. I wrote, “To the victims and the survivors – could all people day by day have the braveness to by no means look the opposite manner.”

Kansans within the Workplace

Capitol Tour
Kim Clevenger of Overland Park

Katie Boyenger of Manhattan

Abel Barraza of Wichita

Esmeralda Valenzuela of Wichita