More than $2 Trillion in Just One Year

.Dear Friend,

The government's fiscal year just came to a close on Monday, Sept. 30, bringing a sobering reality check along with it. On the last day of fiscal year 2024, our national debt clocked in at a whopping $35,464,673,929,171.69 (and counting). This means we added more than $2 trillion to the national debt in the last fiscal year alone. This is completely unsustainable. Spending like this hurts the next generation and our current economic standing as a nation.

I've long been committed to trying to correct our nation's dangerous fiscal trajectory. I've cosponsored a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution multiple times and introduced an amendment to cut 1% of non-defense spending in the last Congress. In February, I helped introduce the Business Cycle Balanced Budget Amendment, which would require the federal government to balance its budget and rein in out-of-control spending, and just last month the Budget Committee passed my bill that would require more transparency from the Congressional Budget Office so lawmakers and the public can know how much money is being spent across the whole federal government, including executive orders and judicial actions that never go through the legislative process.

It took years to get into this mess and it will take years to get out, but fiscal year 2025 offers us another chance to change course to improve our nation’s finances.

Sincerely,

Member of Congress

.Recently, Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel, our strongest ally in the Middle East. Israel and its people have every right to defend themselves, and the United States will not waver in our support in the midst of the egregious attacks by Iran. The United States should be ready to stand with our ally and reassert crippling sanctions on the Iranian regime.

These latest acts of aggression also occurred close to the one-year anniversary of the atrocious attacks on Israel by Hamas. It’s hard to believe that the atrocities of Oct. 7 happened a year ago, and that Hamas is still holding hostages, including four Americans.

Headline: President's Own Marine Band in Winfield

.Save the date for Monday, Oct. 14! For the first time in more than 40 years, “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band will perform in Winfield as part of the band’s Coast to Coast tour. Founded in 1798, the Marine Band is our nation’s oldest continuously active professional music organization and has played for every U.S. president since John Adams. Concertgoers can expect to hear musical selections in the style of the band’s 17th-century director, John Philip Sousa, as well as contemporary compositions, vocal and instrumental solos and a patriotic tribute to the Armed Forces.

For more details and to register for free tickets, visit www.marineband.marines.mil/Tour.

.Did you know that Wichita is the oldest city in the 4th Congressional District of Kansas? The city began as a trading post in 1864 and officially became incorporated as a city in 1870. As cattle from Texas traveled through Wichita on the Chisholm Trail in the 1870s, it became known as “Cowtown.” In the 1920s, the manufacturing of airplanes grew the city’s economy, and in turn, its population. Today, Wichita is the largest city in the state with nearly 400,000 people.