The Sunflower State has a long and proud history of Kansans answering a higher calling to serve their country in military uniform. Kansans proudly answer the call to serve, time and time again. Today, Kansas is home to more than 220,000 veterans – courageous men and women of all ages who have fought and served to protect our freedoms and way of life from those who wish to destroy it. 

 

Click here, or on the image above, to watch my full House floor remarks.

 

I'm heartbroken to see how some of our veterans are treated once they return home from serving our country abroad. That is why I'm proud the House of Representatives overwhelmingly agreed on legislation to overhaul and reform a broken Veterans Affairs Administration that has seen scandal and a failure of leadership throughout the last several months. I voted "Yes" and the House agreed to the Conference Report on H.R. 3230. That legislation was then sent to the Senate where it passed, and now heads to the president's desk for his signature.

 

This reform legislation provides needed resources and makes several changes at the VA; including:

 

- Giving eligible veterans "Veterans Choice Cards" allowing them to visit qualified health care facilities outside the VA system, cutting down on travel and wait times for veterans to receive treatment.

 

- Providing $5 billion of emergency funding for the VA to hire additional doctors, physicians, employees, and also obtain leases on new VA medical facilities.

 

- Changing VA rules that make it easier for VA administrators and employees to be demoted or fired for poor performance or improper behavior.

 

Click here to read more. 

We are now one step closer to making the Kelsey Smith Act the federal legal standard, and greatly improving the chances of locating loved ones who have gone missing or who have been abducted. Although the bill has been introduced before, the Kelsey Smith Act was passed by a House Committee for the first time last week and now moves forward for possible consideration by the full House of Representatives. Click here for more information.

 

When every second matters, the Kelsey Smith Act means lives will be saved, and law enforcement will shave precious time off their response to missing persons by working hand in hand with telecommunications companies.

 

Congressman Yoder, Missey Smith and Kansas State Senator Greg Smith speak about the Kelsey Smith Act last year when the bill was introduced.

 

Thank you to Kelsey’s parents, Greg and Missey Smith, for their steadfast resolve in advocating for this legislation.

I believe our country’s current policies here have encouraged and led to the humanitarian crisis we now see at our southern border. Reports of unaccompanied children being raped and sold into sex trafficking as they make the trek to the United States is heartbreaking. In addition to the 60,000 children who have already made the dangerous journey since last October, the Department of Homeland Security estimates that more than 150,000 children will follow in the next year if we don't make changes to our current policies. We have a moral obligation to act to ensure that more children aren't put in this dangerous situation.

 

Last week, the House passed two bills to address this crisis, and after careful consideration I voted “Yes” on both H.R. 5230, the House Border Crisis bill, as well as H.R. 5272, legislation to freeze DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and Executive Amnesty.

 

The first bill ends DACA by prohibiting federal funds from being used to approve new applications, and prevents the president from circumventing Congress and creating any new executive amnesty provisions with the potential to put us in a similar situation that we are in today. Additionally, the legislation provides $694 million to expedite the return of more immigrants to their home countries, secure our border, and address this humanitarian crisis. The House bill is paid for with spending reductions in other areas of the budget.

 

Finally, this legislation makes changes to a 2008 law to expedite the return of unaccompanied minors to their home countries - treating Central American immigrants the same as those from Mexico, as the original law stated.

 

We must work together to solve this challenge and it is my hope that the Senate will reconvene to consider this House proposal, and that the President will sign this legislation into law.

I'm committed to holding Washington accountable for burdens on hardworking Kansas families that drive up the cost of everything from gas to groceries, and that lead to higher unemployment rates. Since 2007, American's take-home pay has decreased each year - a drop of 8.3 percent.

 

While the House of Representatives continues to pass bills focused on increasing opportunities for all Americans, including 40 jobs bills that are still awaiting action in the Senate, I will remain committed to working in the 3rd District to improve the lives of hardworking Kansans; including expanding American energy production, fighting to keep taxes lower, investing in education, research and technology, and eliminating burdensome regulations. 

 

Congressman Yoder greets a veteran during last year's 3rd District Job Fair at the Great Mall of the Great Plains.

 

That's why I'm proud to announce our 4th Annual 3rd District Job Fair. If you are looking for work, or know someone who is, please take note about our upcoming job fair on Thursday, August 14th at the Great Mall of the Great Plains in Olathe. As in years past, the first hour from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. will be exclusively for veterans only. Then from 10:00 a.m. until 1 in the afternoon, the job fair will be open to everyone. Plus, it's completely free to attend.

 

What: 4th Annual 3rd District Job Fair and Resource Expo

 

When: Thursday, August 14th, 2014

9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Veterans only first hour

10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Open to all job seekers

 

Where: The Great Mall of the Great Plains

20700 W. 151st Street

Olathe, KS  66061

 

* No cost to attend - just dress for success and bring plenty of resumes

 

Please visit www.Yoder.house.gov, or call my Overland Park District Office at (913) 621-0832, for more information.

The House previously passed the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014 by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 367–55; I voted "Yes." Last week, the Senate followed suit and passed the House's version of transportation funding bill, sending the legislation to the president's desk for his signature.

 

"Hours before the government was set to cut payments to states, the Senate on Thursday evening cleared legislation to fund highway and mass-transit projects through May, agreeing to a 10-month patch passed by the House and sending the measure to the president." - click here to read more from the Wall Street Journal.

 

The extension of the Highway and Transportation Funding Act means the federal government will continue funding its share of the costs for transportation projects across the country, helping to keep road crews, construction workers, engineers and contractors employed on important transportation and road projects.

I met last week with Don Grey, Joe Dick and David Alvey, all from the Kansas City Board of Public Utilities, and we discussed many important regulations and mandates coming from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Washington, DC. Bureaucrats have put in place regulations, such as the Mercury Air Toxics Standards (MATS) rule. MATS will cost $250 million to implement, and that will force local electricity providers like the KC BPU to raise rates on families and businesses in Wyandotte County. They told me the MATS mandate could result in a nearly 20 percent increase in customers' electric bills. We also discussed ways in which we can delay the implementation of these costly regulations that would help save Wyandotte County residents millions of dollars. Last year, the House passed the REINS Act to put a hold on regulations from Washington, DC. The REINS Act, however, has stalled in the Senate.

 

Thank you to Joe, Don and David for meeting with me and keeping me updated on the harmful effects mandates from Washington are having on Kansans back home in the 3rd District.

Senior administrators from Children's Mercy Hospital traveled to Washington, DC and stopped by my office to visit last week. Dr. Randall O'Donnell, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Genny Nichols, Vice President of Government Affairs, visited with me about important health care topics, including Medicaid Reform for Medically Complex Pediatric Patients. I thank all the doctors, nurses, staff and administration officials at Children's Mercy for the great work they do to help keep families in our community healthy.

 

Dr. Randall O'Donnell and Genny Nichols visited Washington, DC for important meetings and stopped by to give me an update.