Fellow Kansan,

Thank you for subscribing to my newsletter! I’m excited to update you on my work in Washington, D.C., and in the First District of Kansas.

Please feel free to share this email with family and friends who may be interested. As always, if you have any comments, questions, or concerns, please contact my office - my staff and I are here and ready to assist you.

Yours in service,

Mann.House.Gov

From my family to yours - Happy Thanksgiving! We hope your holiday is filled with fellowship among family and friends.

As we celebrate the many blessings in our lives, I thank God for the United States of America. We truly live in the greatest nation on earth. We are a nation of peace and prosperity, shining as a beacon of freedom for the world, and I still believe that our brightest days are yet to come. God bless you, and God bless America.

Mann.House.Gov

In the Office

Condemning the listing of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken as threatened on the Endangered Species list

Last week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a final rule, which first commended landowners’ voluntary efforts to increase lesser prairie-chicken populations in Kansas, only to then unilaterally decide that the federal government is better equipped to address these local areas.



This ruling is not just another example of federal government overreach - it is a proxy war on American agriculture and energy sectors that are vital to our economy. At a time when inflation is at a 40-year high, energy prices are the highest they have been in years, and families are struggling to fill their gas tanks and keep food on their tables, we should be working to eliminate barriers for the agriculture and energy sectors, not hamstringing hardworking Americans.

I will continue to oppose this ruling. I will soon introduce legislation that will prohibit the listing of threatened or endangered species without Congressional input, and I have asked the Government Accountability Office to produce a thorough report on the data that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service used to make their decision.

Farmers, ranchers, and landowners are the original conservationists, and the federal government must get out of their way and let them do what they do best.

Farm Bill Impact Series: World Food Program and Kansas' Food Aid Legacy

In September 1953, Peter O’Brien, a farmer from Cheyenne County Kansas, stood up at his local county Farm Bureau meeting to share an idea. He wanted to use Kansas grain to help hungry people around the world. Over the next several months, today’s Food for Peace program was crafted. The following year, one of Kansas’ favorite sons, President Dwight Eisenhower, signed parts of the program into law. That was the beginning of what is now a longstanding Kansas tradition of commitment, care, and leadership in the international effort to address global hunger.

I was honored to host David Beasley, Executive Director of the World Food Program in Kansas earlier this month. Executive Director Beasley had just been in Egypt, Ethiopia, and Rome, but he came to Kansas because he understands the impact that farmers in my state have had on international food aid. Now, with the 2023 reauthorization of the Farm Bill upon us, we see that the Kansas legacy of international food aid is alive and well. As the member of Congress for the Big First District and a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I will fight to keep that legacy strong for generations of agricultural producers to come.

Listen to my full remarks in the 15th installment of my

Farm Bill Impact series.

Kansas Soybean Commission

It was a pleasure to meet with leaders from the Kansas Soybean Commission last week. We discussed the importance of the Renewable Fuel Standard and highlighted the role that soy products have as economic drivers in Kansas, the United States, and the world.

The Kansas Soybean Commission works to improve the profit potential for all soybean farmers and to increase awareness of the economic impact of soy products here and abroad. I am grateful for our time together and for their work on behalf of Kansas soybean producers.

Mann.House.Gov

In the District

Military Academy Nominations

On Monday, I hosted my 2022 service academy nomination interviews and luncheon at the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene. The selection panel and I met with eight students from across the Big First District who all share the same goal: to serve our country.

It was a special honor to hear from Jim Diester, a Vietnam War veteran as our keynote speaker. Jim was raised in Ulysses, Kansas, and graduated from Grant County high school in 1963. While serving in Vietnam in 1967, Jim was wounded in action and rescued by Sammy Davis who would later receive the Medal of Honor for his actions and go on to serve as the inspiration for Forrest Gump. Jim said, "If Sammy is the real-life Forrest Gump, then I'm the real-life Lieutenant Dan." After retiring from the Army, Jim received his bachelor’s in psychology and master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Emporia State University, and he worked as an employee for the State of Kansas until 2012. Thank you, Jim, for your service to our country and for taking the time to share your story with us.

Thank you to our selection panelists: State Senator Rick Billinger, State Representative John Barker, Janet Nichols, Michael Utz, Mary Eisenhower – granddaughter of President Eisenhower, and to the Eisenhower Presidential Library staff for hosting us.

ICYMI: Mann Minute

In this week's Mann Minute, I provide a brief recap of the military academy nomination lunch in Abilene and the story of Jim Diester, a Vietnam War veteran, and the real-life Lieutenant Dan.

If you, or a student you know, are interested in applying for one of the U.S. military academies and would like to learn more about my nominee program, please contact my Manhattan office at (785) 370-7277 or visit my website at Mann.House.Gov

Watch this week's Mann Minute below.

Mann.House.Gov

Happening Across the Country

The families of the U.S. military and veterans are often the unsung heroes of our country. Their resilience strengthens our military force, and they make selfless sacrifices for our country. November is a time to recognize our military families and acknowledge the challenges that they face.

I am honored to represent the military families at Fort Riley and all across the Big First District. Thank you for your service to our country.

Mark your calendars: Tele-Town Hall

Join me at 4:30PM CT on Thursday, December 1, 2022, for a live tele-town hall. I will answer questions from Kansans and deliver an update on what is happening in Washington, D.C. 

If you have questions about the tele-town hall, please contact my Washington, D.C. office at 202-225-2715. Hope to talk with you soon!