.In a win for Kansas landowners, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced last week that it will not proceed with its proposed designation of the Midwest-Plains National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC) that would go through Kansas, including two counties in the 4th District – Edwards and Pawnee. From the start this proposal process lacked transparency and failed to engage local stakeholders who would be impacted by the project. That’s why I wrote to the DOE secretary earlier this year and helped introduce legislation with my fellow Kansas lawmakers to stop this landgrab. Private property rights are essential to our way of life and they need to be protected from federal landgrab projects like this now defunct one.   

.Last week, Washington was abuzz with talks of a potential shutdown, and in typical D.C. fashion, an enormous 1,500-plus page dropped right before Christmas full of bad policies and more spending. I was adamantly opposed to the monstrous wish list masquerading as a Continuing Resolution (CR). I voted against the CR in September because I knew that resorting to a massive bill would be the default. Thankfully, the pushback D.C. received from lawmakers like me and grassroots activists like you caused the entire bill to fall apart. This was a win for Kansans and conservatives.

Instead, a short-term spending bill came to the House floor – one on Thursday and one on Friday. While I have generally voted against such measures, as they are a terrible way to run the greatest country on Earth, it made sense to pass a spending bill that funds the government at existing levels until next year when Republicans will control the House, Senate and White House. The new House and Senate begin Jan. 3, and President Trump will be sworn in on Jan. 20.

The bill also provided certainty to our farmers and ranchers by extending important provisions for a year. Our Kansas farmers deserve a full reauthorization of the bill, but the extension will at least help us maintain this critical industry while negotiations continue.

Last week was a reminder that the appropriations and funding process in D.C. is broken – while the House made progress this year by passing five of 12 appropriations bills, the Democrat-led Senate passed none, which led us to once again into government-wide Christmastime funding gridlock.

Our country is $36.17 trillion in debt. We must return to regular order, and I am committed to addressing the waste, fraud and abuse that is rampant in our federal government and changing the trajectory of Washington’s out-of-control spending.

.Earlier this month I joined guest host Jeff Stein on the Todd Starnes Show to discuss President-elect Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency and the corresponding DOGE Caucus in the House. Our conversation also touched on President Biden’s actions in his final days in office, including his outrageous pardon of his son Hunter. You can listen to our full interview below. 

Last week I also went on News Nation to discuss my recent op-ed on the economy and the need to renew the 2017 Trump tax cuts to prevent tax increases. The interview covered a host of other timely topics including the Army/Navy football game, the upcoming inauguration, recent drone sightings and more. You can watch the full interview below.