Good news for Kansas – especially for our postal workers. The United States Postal Service (USPS) has recently announced its decision to consolidate the Central Repair Facilities in both Topeka and Grand Prairie, Texas. This means that after the current contracts expire at the end of 2012, both facilities will be consolidated into one – at the Topeka location.

At a time when USPS is under great pressure to reduce, restructure, and reform their processes, I am delighted to hear good news for our hard-working Kansans. I will continue to monitor the postal service and its review of all facilities.

I am deeply disappointed a bill I supported, to add a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, failed on a party-line vote in the U.S. Senate.

If members of Congress want to get serious about cutting wasteful spending, we must have a balanced budget amendment. The debt is $15 trillion and rising, it has become one of our biggest national security concerns and will be an extraordinary burden for our children and grandchildren if we don’t act now.

Yet again, more news of Obamacare failure. And, typical of this administration, this health care provision failed due to over-regulation!

At issue is the administration’s attempt to define “accountable care organizations.” These entities were to provide quality health care at less cost through a network of doctors and hospitals that would work together to keep Medicare patients healthier, sharing the savings with taxpayers. Hundreds of these networks were to fan out across the country and reform health care as we know it.

Unfortunately, attempts to establish “accountable care organizations” have failed because the regulations—all 429 pages of them—that determine such groups are so complex major health organizations like the Mayo Clinic refuse to participate. Without major changes in the regulations these providers say that no one will enroll in the program.

Today, the Administration made a new attempt to create the “accountable care organizations” -- this time adding 267 pages of regulations on top of the 429 pages. While the Administration claims they addressed concerns with these new regs, we won’t hold our breath.

It’s yet another example of Obamcare’s regulatory over-reach and misguided policies failing to meet the promises made to taxpayers. 

Earlier this week I met with Ambassador Nancy Brinker, founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Ambassador Brinker is breast cancer’s worst enemy, and the breast cancer patient’s biggest heroine. Founded on behalf of her sister, Susan G. Komen for the Cure has helped raise awareness of breast cancer, raising more than $1.9 billion for research, education, screening and treatment. Among other accolades, President Obama awarded Ambassador Brinker with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, our nation’s highest civilian honor.

I agreed to cosponsor her latest effort to extend the breast cancer stamp to help raise funds for more research.

October is breast cancer awareness month, so I ask that you wear your pink to help recognize the struggle of patients and survivors alike. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate a member of my staff, Martha Ruiz-Martinez, for winning her own battle with breast cancer. She is one and a half years cancer free. I am so happy to celebrate this milestone with you, Martha! When Martha was diagnosed, our Washington staff took this picture, donning pink in her honor.

I am pleased the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has responded in such a timely manner to the request I sent them just a few weeks ago on extending the comment period for producers to weigh-in on critical transportation issues tied to transporting agricultural commodities.

Just recently, the FMCSA announced the original 30-day comment period would be extended to 60 days. The response comes after several of my colleagues and I, including Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), sent a letter to FMSCA Administrator Anne Ferro, following the FMSCA’s release of a 30-day request for public comment on various transportation issues related to production agriculture and commodities.

In the letter, my colleagues and I had asked for the comment period to be extended to accommodate busy farmers, ranchers, and producers, who have significant planting and harvesting responsibilities this time of year.

It’s a busy time of year for our farmers and ranchers, and this extension allows them an adequate amount of time to more thoroughly review the impact these changes would have on their businesses and better provide this critical industry a voice on issues of vital importance to the way it operates.

FMSCA opened the comment period to clarify several of their positions on agricultural transportation, including clarifying the factors distinguishing between inter and intra-state commerce, Crop Share Farm Lease Agreements, and implements of construction and farming equipment husbandry and whether new regulations should be in order to provide uniformity and consistency.

You can click here for more information on the comment period.

Today several members of Taiwan’s Congress visited me in my office to talk about agricultural issues affecting both of our countries.

As Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I have previously expressed concerns to their president on non-scientific barriers to U.S. beef trade, whether in regard to BSE or, more recently, the use of ractopamine, a feed additive. U.S. beef is safe and delicious, and any trade restrictions should be based on sound science, not domestic politics.

The delegation discussed the latest actions their government has undertaken to learn more and educate their public concerning the safe use of ractopamine. I continue to push Taiwan to move away from its zero-tolerance stance and adopt a maximum residue level consistent with international guidelines.

I met with Brigadier General John McMahon of the Army Corps of Engineers today to discuss Missouri River flooding issues. As Division Commander, he is responsible for guiding and directing five operation district commands, including the Kansas City District. Earlier in his career, he was stationed to Ft. Riley, and has fond memories of our state.

Right now, flood waters in the Missouri River approaching Kansas are at a record level – some 160,000 cubic feet per second. That’s more water than topples over Niagra Falls every second.

BG McMahon indicated that the Master Manual, a 400 plus page document outlining how the USACE should manage the eight congressionally authorized purpose areas they oversee, needs to be thoroughly reviewed given the current situation.

We had a frank discussion and I respect the difficult situation they face today in a very challenging environment. They are committed to working with us moving forward.

I invited BG McMahon to visit Kansas with me to see the impact the Missouri River is having on our Kansas communities. He says he is committed to helping the Missouri River Basin through this challenging time.

Today I met with Rex Tai, who was recently named a 2011 U.S. Presidential Scholar. Rex is from Overland Park and graduated from Blue Valley North High School.

Rex is just one of 141 high school seniors across the nation who was given this prestigious award. It’s considered one of the nation’s highest honors a high school student can receive.

Despite my pleadings for him to go to Kansas State, he says he has decided to head to Northwestern University in the fall, where he can begin his study of medicine.

Congratulations to Rex, and I enjoyed meeting with him and his family today.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the Fort Riley soldiers who were recently killed in the line of duty in Iraq. This weekend we learned that a sixth Fort Riley soldier was killed as a result of an incident in Iraq that happened earlier this month. It makes it the single deadliest attack on one of our Fort Riley units since the war began more than eight years ago. This is a good reminder to all of us of these brave men and women and the sacrifices they make for our freedoms and liberties every day. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten. Please remember their families in your prayers.