A Note from Nancy

Dear Friend,

As I visit with Kansans throughout the district, I am frequently asked about my position on the Second Amendment. Not only do I support the right to bear arms, I am working to educate my colleagues from urban districts about the integral role of guns in rural life. The Second District of Kansas includes some of the best deer and turkey hunting lands in the state as well as hundreds of independent farmers who protect their crops and livestock against vermin. In the early days of this country hunting played an essential role in providing food. While modern grocery stores minimize hunting as a necessity, it remains a tradition that parents proudly pass down to their children. I am dedicated to preserving this way of life and the essential role that guns play in it.

Here are two recent events relevant to our right to bear arms:

June 26, 2008
The Supreme Court ruled that the District of Columbia cannot ban a citizen from keeping a handgun at home, throwing out one of the nation's strictest gun control laws. The decision was fairly close with a 5-4 majority, but the court stands with the belief that the Constitution protects an individual’s right to keep and carry a gun.

July 31, 2008
Congressman Travis Childers introduces the Second Amendment Enforcement Act, H.R. 6691. This legislation will correct the District of Columbia's law in order to restore the fundamental rights of its citizens under the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and thereby enhance public safety. I am an original cosponsor of this legislation.

Before the D.C. vs. Heller case last year that overturned Washington, D.C.’s 32-year-old ban on handguns, it had been more than 80 years since the Supreme Court had interpreted the meaning of the Constitution’s Second Amendment:

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

Previously, the Court had interpreted this sentence to mean that gun ownership was protected only as part of membership in militias. I disagreed with that reading, so, when D.C. vs. Heller came up, I signed an amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) legal brief that argued to the Supreme Court that the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to bear arms, regardless of any militia membership. Congress has a long history of interpreting the Second Amendment as a guarantee of an individual right, and over 300 members of Congress joined me in signing the brief.

What happens next is unclear. Although the Court struck down the handgun ban, the Justices went out of their way to say that many existing gun control regulations do not violate the Second Amendment. Also, because the Bill of Rights only limits federal laws, it remains to be seen how this decision will affect state and local governments. I encourage everyone to continue to follow developments closely.

Guns are an important part of Kansas’ heritage, and I am committed to preserving that heritage. I will continue to work to protect the right of Kansans to own guns for shooting, hunting, and self-defense.

Very truly yours, 

Nancy Boyda
Member of Congress


Casework Corner – Another Social Security Success Story 

                                            
                                                   Elona Roberts 

Social Security disability is one of the most common constituent service issues in Congresswoman Nancy Boyda’s office, so you wouldn’t expect we could still be surprised by an SSD case. However, when Elona Roberts came to us with her issue, we had no idea what twists and turns her case would take us through by the time it was all said and done.

At first glance Ms. Roberts’s case looked like so many others. She had applied for disability benefits, she was awaiting a hearing, and with each passing month her financial situation worsened. She contacted our office to see if there was anything we could do to help. We began working with Social Security in an effort to track down her application and find out what was holding it up.

By the time she contacted us, Ms. Roberts had already been waiting for a significant period of time. Our inquiry revealed that her hearing had already been scheduled, and hopefully she would have an answer in just a matter of days.

(Continue Reading)


Letter of the Week - Nancy Reaches Out to Stark Residents After Fire Destroys Stark Post Office

Dear Friends,

Last week the tragedy in Stark, Kansas raised concern about the future of an important feature in the community. I was very sorry to hear that a fire of suspicious origin desecrated the Stark Postal Office. This building is a significant asset to the functioning and standing of Stark and the surrounding communities.

Many of you have contacted my offices and voiced individual concern regarding the future of this facility. I can assure you that I am in full support of keeping the services of the Postal Office in Stark and will do what I can to ensure this outcome. My staff and I will remain in close contact with the USPS District Office and our USPS liaisons in Washington, D.C. to convey my support and receive updates on the situation. Currently, no decisions have been made about the rebuilding of the Stark Postal Office. Through our efforts, we hope to keep you informed on this matter as we continue to learn more.

It is my sincere honor to serve you in the Second District. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact my Topeka office, 785-234-8111.

With warm regards, 

Nancy Boyda
Member of Congress


This Week in Congress - July 28 to August 3

Tuesday I met with students from the Advanced Operational Art Studies Fellowship Program in Leavenworth. I then met with Admiral Dunne, Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Policy and Planning. Later, I met with representatives from the National Rifle Association and attended a House Energy Working Group meeting.

Wednesday morning I attended a House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation Credit hearing to review electricity reliability in rural America. Afterward, I held a teleconference with the press to discuss my Paperwork Assistance Act, which passed Congress by a vote of 394-0. Most government forms are obscure and incomprehensible, and most don’t give you a clue about how to get help completing the form. Not even a telephone number to call for advice. My bill changes that. H.R. 6113 requires a contact phone number on all forms disbursed by federal agencies.

Later Wednesday, I received a briefing on this fiscal year’s National Defense Authorization Act at a House Armed Services Committee.

I spoke about our current energy crisis on the House floor on Thursday. After which, I took part in a question and answer forum with students from the Medical Strategic Leadership Program. The House Armed Services Committee held a hearing where I heard administration perspectives on the implications of the Supreme Court’s Boumediene Decision for detainees at Guantanamo Bay. I also met with Maggie Weeks of Kansas State University’s Bakery Science and Management Program.

Friday morning I called into the Steve Forman show at KMAJ to do an interview about the Paperwork Assistance Act. I then flew home to Kansas for the August district work period.

Over the weekend I attended the long-awaited reopening of the Topeka Boulevard Bridge.