Addressing a Schumer Shutdown | Apply to a U.S. Service Academy

.Dear Friend,

With a looming Sept. 30 funding deadline, congressional Democrats, led by Senator Chuck Schumer, are threatening to shut down the federal government. If the Democrats decide to withhold funding for the government, I want to reassure you that Social Security will continue to be funded, and Social Security checks will still be sent out. Medicare, veteran programs, military activities, and more will also continue to be funded and operational.

House Republicans voted for and passed legislation to keep the government open well ahead of the deadline. We passed what’s known as a “clean continuing resolution,” or “clean CR.” It continues funding without adding any partisan language or gimmicks – it’s something Democrats have repeatedly asked for in CRs.

It’s sad that Democrats are threatening to block critical services for the United States and making unreasonable demands. Among their demands are funding health care for illegal aliens with taxpayer dollars and repealing border security that Republicans included in the Working Families Tax Cuts. Republicans are united in ensuring the government remains open for the American people.

We are working to restore regular order in the appropriations process – this CR is only for a short time while the Appropriations Committees in the House and Senate continue to debate full bills that are more in line with the regular process of funding the government. My Republican colleagues and I are committed to being good stewards of taxpayer dollars.

Sincerely,

Member of Congress

Headline: Voting for Social Security Legislation in Ways and Means Markup

.A week ago, the Ways and Means Committee held a markup to consider advancing legislation out of committee to the full House of Representatives. As Chairman of the Social Security Subcommittee within Ways and Means, I was glad two of the pieces of legislation we voted to advance were related to Social Security. The Improving Social Security’s Service to Victims of Identity Theft Act and the Social Security Child Protection Act will help protect Social Security for Kansans and Americans. The former piece of legislation requires the Social Security Administration (SSA) to provide victims of identity theft with a single point of contact for assistance at the agency. The latter piece of legislation requires the SSA to issue children under the age of 14 a new Social Security Number if their card has been compromised in certain situations.

Headline: National Aviation Hall of Fame

.The Kansas aviation industry develops and manufactures airplanes that are used around the country and the world. Recently, I was honored to receive the Congressional Leadership Award from the National Aviation Hall of Fame at their enshrinement ceremony in Wichita. In Congress, I enjoy advocating for the aerospace industry in the House Ways and Means Committee and serving as the co-chair of the House Aerospace Caucus. I look forward to continuing to advocate for aviation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

.Recently I joined RFD-TV’s Champions of Rural America segment to talk about how the Working Families Tax Cut benefits rural communities, like many in Kansas. I spoke about how our legislation’s research and development provision helps grow American manufacturing, how the Rural Health Transformation Program supports rural hospitals, and more. You can watch my interview with RFD-TV below.

View online at https://estes.house.gov/news/email/.

.Every year I enjoy appointing talented young men and women from Kansas’ 4th district to serve in four of the five U.S. Service Academies: the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Students who attend a U.S. Service Academy receive a full-ride scholarship and a world-class education. They also commit to serving in the military for at least five years upon graduation. Please feel free to share this opportunity with a young person in your life.

The deadline to apply for a nomination for the upcoming academic year is this week on Oct. 1. Interested students can apply on my website at estes.house.gov/service.

.The Republican-passed Working Families Tax Cut will deliver prosperity and growth to Kansans and the American people. Our legislation, which was signed into law by President Trump on our nation’s birthday, provides significant tax relief for Kansans. Specifically, the average American taxpayer can expect a tax cut of $3,752 in 2026. Additionally, families of four earning under $100,000 are projected to have their overall take-home pay increase by up to $11,700.

I explain more about our tax cuts in my latest op-ed for the Derby Informer. You can read it here.

.Did you know that Kansas’ state song is “Home on the Range?” The lyrics of Home on the Range are based on a poem written by Dr. Brewster Higley in 1872. Dr. Higley wrote the poem because he was inspired by the beauty of the Great Plains. John Lomax, a musician and friend of Dr. Higley, put music to the poem, and it became a song. Decades later, Home on the Range gained national attention after President Franklin D. Roosevelt called it his favorite song. In 1947, it was officially designated as the state song of Kansas.