Strengthening Public Education

As the father of a 1 year old I know how important public schools are to future generations of Kansans. 

I have fought to keep college affordable by supporting bipartisan legislation to keep student loan interest rates low. 

As a strong supporter of local control I have worked to eliminate burdensome regulations and unfunded mandates which harm our local schools. 

I supported the Student Success Act (H.R. 5) to accomplish many of these goals.

Click here to learn more.

Artwork from Head Start of Shawnee Mission

I had the pleasure of welcoming some children to my District Office last week from Head Start of Shawnee Mission. As part of National Head Start Association Awareness Month in October, the preschool class brought me some of their beautiful artwork which I am proudly displaying in my office. Thank you to the teachers and to Executive Director Terrie VanZandt-Travis for this special visit and for all you do for children in our community.

I work to strengthen investments in education and research funding for the full spectrum of learning, from supporting early childhood education programs like Head Start to University level research.

No matter where you start in life, each American should have the opportunity for a good education to give you the tools needed to achieve the American Dream.

Olathe Public Schools Foundation Breakfast

Last week I attended the annual Olathe Public Schools Foundation Breakfast. It was great to hear Superintendent Dr. Marlin Berry share his vision in preparing students for the future; investing in the lives of our children is making a difference. Thank you to Olathe District Schools Board President LeEtta Felter for inviting me to attend.

Interviewed by Shawnee Mission Northwest Seniors

It was a privilege to be interviewed by seniors from Shawnee Mission Northwest High School last week. Allison, Brooke and Tracy asked me policy questions and how I got involved in public service. This was part of their American Government class project. Best of luck as they complete their senior year!

Making Healthcare Affordable and Accessible

The President's Healthcare Law has not been good for Kansas. It has increased insurance rates and reduced options. We need real bipartisan legislation to ensure patients make their own healthcare decisions rather than federal bureaucrats.

While our healthcare system has long needed a fix, the President’s law has failed to address real problems like patient choice and access to care.

I support legislation to increase access to care by training more doctors.

I champion the National Institutes of Health and its efforts to find cures to debilitating diseases that threaten the lives of so many, requesting a budget of $32 billion which represents a nearly $2 billion increase above current levels.

I am committed to working with my colleagues on bipartisan legislation to ensure Kansans will be able to keep their doctors and not lose their healthcare plans due to Obamacare.

Carondelet Orthopaedic Surgeons

Thank you to Administrator Todd Laytham for providing me the opportunity to meet with the dedicated surgeons at Carondelet Orthopaedic Surgeons in Overland Park to discuss the healthcare environment in Johnson County, including medical liability reform, health information technology changes, and regulatory barriers to quality healthcare.

Learn more at the Carondelet Orthopaedic Surgeons' website.

Agricultural Tour, Country of Origin Labeling (COOL)

As Vice-Chair of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, I have worked to hold the Administration accountable for their policies that hurt both family farmers and consumers. Just this week, I had the opportunity to visit with local farmers in Louisburg and I am concerned about regulations impacting their farms.

I saw firsthand how the flawed United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) rules dealing with COOL are going to hurt Kansas farmers and drive the cost of food higher. This is an issue I raised with USDA administrators earlier this year:

Click here to view a clip of my interactions with USDA officials on COOL.

This flawed rule is an example of why Kansans are paying more at the grocery store and why the cost of living is increasing. It is time regulators understand the impact their policies have on everyday life in Kansas.

Growing the Economy

For far too long Washington has stood in the way of economic growth by issuing burdensome regulations and weighing down businesses with an overly complicated tax code.

I supported the REINS Act which allows Congress to weigh in on regulations issued by the White House that would increase business expenses and cost Kansas jobs.

I support rewriting our tax code to make it flatter and fairer, keeping jobs from going overseas and lowering the barrier of entry for new entrepreneurs.

On all of my business stops this year, I have heard one prevailing message: Washington needs to stop trying to manage the economy and clear the way the way for businesses to hire workers and increase productivity.

Visiting Netsmart

Here's a tweet from Netsmart, in Leawood, when I visited last week. 

Do you follow me on twitter? Keep up to date on all of my activities in Kansas and Washington, D.C. by following me. It's a great way to interact with the community.

Appropriations

Since joining the House Appropriations Committee in 2011, I work daily to rein in federal spending, and for four consecutive years we have reduced discretionary spending, which has reduced our budget below the FY 2009 levels of spending.

As a leader on the Appropriations Committee, I have been a voice for fiscal sanity. I believe we need to prioritize our spending for programs that work, and balance our budget so we don’t leave future generations burdened with unsustainable debt.

I have led by example by reducing my office budget and returning those dollars to the U.S. Treasury.

Since joining the Appropriations Committee in 2010 we have reduced discretionary spending by $165 billion. 

I support a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, and have worked to implement reforms to our budget process.

Fighting Juvenile Diabetes

I had a special opportunity to meet with some of my younger constituents and their moms last week to talk about federal funding for juvenile diabetes. Kerri Lindsay, Advocacy Chair for the Kansas City JDRF Kansas City Chapter and her two boys and Laura Fornelli and her two girls shared their experiences and challenges with me. It is exciting to hear about the latest technology being used to monitor and treat type 1 diabetes and I will continue to support the National Institutes of Health in their research efforts to ultimately find a cure for this devastating disease.