Dear Friend,

We're almost halfway through the 110th Congress, and last week I had the chance to join nine other Members of Congress at a D.C. press conference to talk about what we've accomplished so far and about all the work still ahead. Joining us was Topeka High School senior Kelly Jacobsen, who shared her thoughts about how the College Cost Reduction Act benefits young people like her – and she stole the show!

Kelly and I first met earlier this year when I spoke to a group of students at Topeka High about the College Cost Reduction Act. The Act, as you may know, expanded the maximum Pell Grant, and it cut in half the interest rates on student loans, saving the average Kansas student more than $4,400 on a college degree.

After our first conversation, Kelly wrote a wonderful article for our local paper about the importance of college aid. I read her article and thought there'd be no one better to speak for Kansans about this exciting and important new law.

As Kelly herself said describing the bill in D.C., "Everybody asks me and my friends what our plans are after high school, but no one asks how we plan to pay for college. With the passing of the college cost reduction act, I now know that Congress understands the value of a college education and wants to help me pay my way through." She was eloquent and poised, and she made Kansas proud.

The College Cost Reduction Act is the largest single federal investment in our students since the 1944 GI Bill. It's easy to forget, when talking about a bill that affects so many poeple, that every student it helps is a real person with a face and a story. Last week's conference was a chance to say, "We're helping Kelly, and we're helping millions of others like her across America."

With warm regards,

Nancy Boyda
Member of Congress


A Note from Nancy - Covering Kids' Health Care

Recently, a bipartisan majority of Congress voted to renew the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which provides critical help to working families who have no other way to afford health insurance for their kids. In light of the president's veto of the children's health program, the debate on SCHIP has grown heated and, at times, filled with inaccuracies and distortions.

So that visitors to this website have all the facts on SCHIP, my office has compiled a document called "Seven simple truths about Congress’s SCHIP reauthorization bill."

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Letter of the Week - Protecting America's Wilderness

It is important to preserve our wilderness areas to protect them for use by hikers, hunters and others who enjoy the outdoors. America’s Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains are iconic in the minds of many Americans. The Blue Ridge mountains are home to Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, and the locations of many significant battles of the Civil War.

In an age where development is encroaching on forests and other lands it is also important to protect some land for those that enjoy spending afternoons hiking or participating in hunting and fishing activities. For many on the East Coast, these lands are getting increasingly hard to find. Preserving wilderness and wildlife habitats is important to protecting our environment for generations to come.

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This Week in Congress - 10/29 to 11/4

On Monday, I took live calls from listeners to the Jim Cates Show on 1440 AM in Topeka.  Callers shared their thoughts on a wide range of issues, including immigration and health care. Afterwards, the senior citizens of Topeka's Atria Hearthstone West shared their their thoughts with me and my staff at the latest event in our "Congress on Your Corner" series. I then caught an afternoon flight back to Washington, D.C., in time for evening votes.

On Tuesday, the U.S. House Agriculture Committee met for a full committee hearing into technology issues affecting the meat industry.

On Wednesday, Terri Bennett and Keith Morrison of the Heartland Procurement Technical Assistance Center dropped by my office to talk about their mission: helping Kansas businesses expand their markets through government procurement opportunities. Also visiting were Christy Levings of the Kansas National Education Association Executive Committee, Carolyn Bloom with the American Physical Therapy Association, Dr. Sukh Bassi of Atchison's MGP Ingredients, Inc., and Bob Christiansen, the director of development for Neosho County Community College.

On Thursday, Topeka High School senior Kelly Jacobsen and her father, Jeff, visited Washington for a press conference with ten Members of Congress to highlight the legislative achievements of the 110th Congress. Kelly spoke about how the College Cost Reduction Act will help Kansas students afford to attend college. After the news conference, I flew home to Kansas for the weekend.

On Friday, I joined a panel discussion on civics and civility at the Kansas State University Alumni Center. While in Manhattan, I also met with Maj. Gen. Robert Durbin, the commanding general of Fort Riley, to discuss the fort's needs and legislative concerns.

On Sunday, the Lawrence Jewish Community Center hosted their annual blintz brunch, and I was pleased to join in a morning of conversation and terrific food. Later, the Kansas National Guard Hall of Fame held an induction ceremony, where we honored the military service of Brig. Gen. Edward H. Gerhardt, 2nd Lt. John A. Huntsman, Command Sgt. Maj. Howard H. McCoy, and Col Michael J. O'Toole. In the evening, I visited the Topeka Performing Arts Center for a social hour for the Indian festival of Diwali.