Dear Friend,

As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue to place heavy demands upon our military, it is more important now than ever that our country recruits an exceptional new generation of military leaders.

Each year, my office nominates several young Kansans to represent the best and brightest of the Second Congressional District at America's military academies. Students can apply to any of five institutions: the Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, and the Coast Guard Academy at New London.

It is important to me to ensure that the nominations process reflects the best of Kansas. In making my nominations, I follow the recommendations of a distinguished committee consisting of past academy graduates and other Kansas military and community leaders. Their guidance is invaluable and deeply appreciated!

Last weekend, about twenty amazing young Kansans gathered at Forbes Field for their interviews. It was so heartening to see so many talented students willing to serve their country. As a state and as a nation, we can take pride in these future leaders of our military.

If you or someone you know would like to apply for an academy nomination next year, you can find everything you need to know on my website at http://www.boyda.house.gov/?sectionid=37.

With warm regards,

Nancy Boyda
Member of Congress


Casework Corner - IRS Owes Undelivered Refunds to 764 Kansans

Each year, the IRS mails tens of millions of refund checks to taxpayers, and many thousands of those checks are returned as undeliverable. Currently, the IRS owes undelivered refunds to 764 people in Kansas, totaling $550,000. The average refund is about $719.

Rep. Boyda's constituent services staff is working hard to contact the Second District residents who are owed undelivered tax refunds. We aim to leave no stone unturned in our efforts to connect taxpayers with their money.

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Letter of the Week - Children's Toy Safety

There have been a lot of news stories about recalls and safety inspections that are less than rigorous. From Aqua Dots with the “date rape drug” to lead-coated toys – a lot of folks are worried. Most of the recalls have come from imports. This should have been caught before products reached American homes.

Parents shouldn’t be the only ones shouldered with making sure their kids’ products are safe. Congress shares that responsibility. We must be vigilant to make sure that there aren't toys out there that could harm our children's physical and mental development. We also have agencies created to keep us safe like the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). While they have provided helpful information, it’s clear that they aren’t able to keep up.

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This Week in Congress - 12/3 to 12/9/2007

On Monday morning, Jim Cates invited me to host his three-hour daily radio program, The Jim Cates Show, on AM-1440 in Topeka. I was honored to be the first incumbent Member of Congress to ever host the show. It was a terrific opportunity to hear from the show's listeners and to discuss ways to fix some of the many problems plaguing Washington, D.C. today.

On Tuesday, I flew back to Washington, D.C. for a busy week of votes.

On Wednesday, Superintendent Dennis Burke and a group of students from USD 508 visited Capitol Hill, and we toured the Capitol together. Later in the day, the U.S. House Committee on Armed Services met to review the latest National Intelligence Estimate on Iran, and I met with Sunee Mickle, the Director of Government Relations for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas.

On Thursday, the Armed Services Committee held a briefing on Iran's nuclear and conventional military capabilities. I also visited a Kansas soldier who is recovering from injuries at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and I joined several colleagues at a press conference to introduce the NAFTA Accountability Act. I then caught a flight home to Kansas for the weekend.

On Friday, the Kansas Second District Veterans and Military Affairs Advisory Council joined me in Topeka district office to share their ideas and recommendations on issues now pending in Congress.

On Saturday, about twenty young Kansans interviewed at Forbes Field for nomination to America's five military academies. During the day of interviews, the nominations committee and I met over lunch to talk about current legislation affecting the U.S. military and about the academy nominations process.