A Note from Nancy

Dear Friend,

I had the honor of taking part in a groundbreaking ceremony Monday for the new Fort Leavenworth Chapel. Such an exciting day – and truly a great day to be a Kansan! Not only did we take the first step in creating a new place of worship for the community, we did so in the company of two men whose commitment to the military and veterans is legendary.

Representative Ike Skelton, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and Representative Chet Edwards, Chairman of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, were both here for the groundbreaking. And, it is definitely worth mentioning that this was the first time these two have been to Kansas at the same time for a single event. So, it was an historic event in more ways than one.

St. Ignatius served Fort Leavenworth for well over a century. Sadly, fire destroyed St. Ignatius a few short months after 9-11. The two remaining chapels on Post continued to serve the spiritual needs of the community; however, space became a very real problem overnight. An average of 1,600 people attend worship services weekly on Fort Leavenworth, and about 2,000 people receive religious education. Although an auditorium and 17 classrooms were made available for religious services and activities, the need for another chapel was clearly evident.

Jack Walker, Deputy to the Garrison Commander was tenacious in his strong, dogged support for a new chapel. Everyone who knows Jack Walker knows exactly what I mean! I approached Representatives Skelton and Edwards for their support. Dedicated to improving life for men and women in the military, I knew they would listen when I showed them the need. And yes I, too, can be strong, tenacious and dogged! Representatives Skelton and Edwards did understand the need and joined the effort. Chaplain Glen Bloomstrom was also concerned for the spiritual well-being of our troops and was strong in his support for a new chapel.

The fight to fund a new chapel for Fort Leavenworth paid off. We were able to secure $11.6 million in the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act and the Fiscal Year 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Bill. That was a great start, but we needed more. There were no limits to my doggedness and tenacity…I hounded Chet for funding of the second phase of the chapel complex. The end result was that the 2009 National Defense Authorization Act and the Fiscal Year 2009 MILCON/VA Appropriations Bill included another $4.2 million for Phase Two.

Out of the ashes, a new beginning.

A place of worship is important any time, but a main-post chapel is crucial in war-time. As our fighting men and women continue to put themselves in harm’s way, we must ensure their families have a place for sanctity and prayer.

Very truly yours,

Nancy Boyda
Member of Congress

Casework Corner – Preventing Credit Card Scams

Our office works with numerous organizations that contact us when facing troubling issues. Occasionally, these organizations run across situations where large numbers of their clients or constituents are being affected by a particular scam. Recently, a representative of Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK) called our office to report that a number of their clients were being called and asked for their credit card information. The scam they described is particularly insidious because of the professionalism of the caller on the other end of the line.

The Scam:

Someone calls claiming to be from the Security and Fraud Department at Visa or MasterCard. They give their name and “badge number” and say they are making a verification call because your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern. They tell you the charge was made on your Visa or MasterCard and are even able to name the bank where the card was issued. Then they ask if you have purchased an Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497.99 from a Marketing company based in Arizona.

When you tell the caller that you did not authorize the charge, they say they will issue a credit to your account. The caller then tells you that this is a company which has been under investigation for some time by the fraud department and that the charges range from $297 to $497, which falls just under the $500 purchase patterns that flags most credit cards. Before you say anything else, the caller gives your address, and then asks if it is correct. 
                        
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Letter of the Week - Homeland Security and the Protection of Our Civil Liberties 

Dear Nancy,

Traveling shouldn't mean checking your rights when you're checking your luggage.

Yet, more and more, the Department of Homeland Security is asking Americans to sacrifice their privacy for an illusion of security. I urge you to introduce legislation to protect the civil liberties of travelers and conduct vigorous oversight.

DHS has shown that it cannot be trusted to protect the civil liberties of Americans. That's why I am counting on you. Please take action to protect the rights of your constituents.

Thank You, 

Vincent from Manhattan, KS. 


Dear Vincent,

Thank you for contacting my office regarding several homeland security initiatives. Your opinion matters to me as I am very concerned about protecting our rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.

First, let me make it clear – the government must do all it can to protect this country. However, the thought of any of our government agencies intruding into any citizen’s personal life without following the laws is very disturbing. As a nation, we must strike a balance between our freedoms that we cherish so dearly and making sure that those who wish to do us harm are caught before they can do so. 

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This Week in Congress - August 11 to August 15 

Representatives from the Clarence Kelly Group visited with me in my Topeka office Monday. The representatives included: Tom Dupriest, President of the Clarence M. Kelley Group, John White, The Next Step Corporation, and Clayton Tatro, President of Fort Scott Community College. The rest of the day was spent in the office. 

I was a guest on the Deb Goodrich radio show Tuesday where we had a lively discussion about energy.

I attended the funeral for SPC William Mulvhill in Leavenworth on Wednesday.

Thursday I visited with Randy Speaker, Doug Kinsinger, and Christy Caldwell at the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce.

I spoke to the South Topeka Rotary at Washburn University on Friday morning.