Leadership Elected for the 119th Congress

.Dear Friend,

As the House of Representatives reconvened following the election, House Republicans elected a new leadership team for the 119th Congress. House Republicans unanimously selected Speaker Mike Johnson to lead the House Republican Conference and be our nominee for the 56th Speaker of the House when the new Congress convenes in January. We also elected Rep. Steve Scalise to continue serving as Majority Leader, Rep. Tom Emmer to continue serving as Majority Whip, Rep. Lisa McClain to serve as Conference Chairwoman, Rep. Richard Hudson to continue serving as NRCC Chairman, Rep. Blake Moore to continue serving as Conference Vice Chairman, Rep. Kevin Hern to serve as Conference Policy Chair and Rep. Erin Houchin to serve as Conference Secretary.

With our new Republican majority, I look forward to working together with these and all my colleagues to secure our border, extend the Trump tax cuts, rein in wasteful spending, protect the rights of Kansans and more.

Sincerely,

Member of Congress

.This past year, too many Kansas students and families encountered challenges when applying for federal financial aid for postsecondary education through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Following a delayed release, the processing of submitted FAFSAs was delayed and then riddled with errors, causing further delays. These delays created confusion for schools and families, making it difficult for states and nonprofits to process aid packages or award scholarships and leaving tens of thousands of families in the dark and unable to make informed choices about financing their student’s education.

This week, by a vote of 381-1, the House passed the FAFSA Deadline Act to address these problems. This bill would require the Department of Education to make the FAFSA available to students by Oct. 1 of the year before the student’s anticipated year of enrollment to ensure students and families have ample time to make informed decisions about their postsecondary education options. I was proud to support this legislation when we marked it up in the Education and the Workforce Committee and was proud to vote for it on the floor.

.Last week we celebrated Veterans Day, honoring the men and women who have served the United States in our Armed Forces. Their dedication and sacrifice helped preserve the peace and security our nation enjoys. I’m grateful to the countless Kansans who have served our country, especially my dad, and I hope you were able to honor the veterans in your life.

.Did you know that Harper County was originally fraudulently organized? In 1873, three men designated “Bluff City” as the county seat. The men sent a census report to the governor that included 641 fake names taken from a Cincinnati directory. The state investigated the county the next year, and no residents were found. It was discovered that the three men had sold $40,000 in bonds. Harper County was reorganized in 1878, and Anthony, Kansas, was designated the new county seat.