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Fellow Kansan,
Thank you for subscribing to my newsletter! I’m excited to update you on my work in Washington, D.C. and the First District of Kansas.
It is an honor to represent Kansans in the Big First District in the 118th Congress. I do not serve in Congress to be a caretaker in the slow demise of America – I serve to fight and work to make it stronger, and I believe our brightest days are yet to come.
Yours in service,
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Congress is in session this week. The House Agriculture Committee and House Small Business Committee will hold their organizational meetings, and the House Transportation Committee will hold a hearing to discuss the reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). There is a strong relationship between Kansas’ economy and aviation. Aviation ranks second in economic impact only after agriculture, and our airports support thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity. As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I will prioritize a clean, bipartisan FAA reauthorization.
Tonight, President Biden will address the nation with his second State of the Union. Over the past two years, Americans have continued to pay the cost of his reckless government spending and irresponsible policy agenda. Throughout his first two years in office, President Biden has shown that he is out of touch with the needs and priorities of Kansans in the Big First. Still, tomorrow night, he can finally address some of the most pressing issues affecting their lives. Given what I've heard from people in the Big First, during the President's State of the Union I will be listening for his thoughts on:
1. Signing the Farm Bill into law, supporting American farmers, ranchers, and producers.
2. Fixing the problems that his decisions on WOTUS and the lesser prairie-chicken have caused.
3. Ending the crisis at our southern border.
4. Decreasing the national debt.
5. Addressing the workforce shortage.
6. Restoring American energy independence.
7. Helping small businesses still recovering from COVID-era policies.
If you'd like to share any questions or concerns about the State of the Union, please contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 225-2715.
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Serving as Chairman of the House Ag Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry | |
I serve in Congress to advocate for agriculture and our conservative Kansas values. I am a fifth-generation Kansan and grew up on my family’s preconditioning feedlot and family farm. I understand the grit, tenacity, and courage it takes to make a living in agriculture, and the burden of responsibility for feeding the world that comes along with that. Producers in the Big First sell $10 billion of livestock, dairy, poultry, and products like beef, milk, and eggs every year, more than any other Congressional district. That’s why I am honored to chair the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry. | |
Just like the producers in the Big First, my sleeves are rolled up and I am working tirelessly to ensure that American farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers have the support they deserve from Congress. | |
Serving on the House Small Business Committee | |
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I am honored to represent the Big First on the House Small Business Committee. The Big First is home to more than 200,000 small businesses, which employ more than 80% of all employees in the Big First. Small businesses help drive the American economy and define the American dream. They add brick and mortar to the values that make our country unique, like freedom, self-determination, and the pursuit of happiness. As a child, I learned about the responsibility, drive, and decision-making it takes to operate a small business from watching my parents operate our preconditioning feedlot and family farm.
I will continue to defend and support small businesses, their owners, their employees, and the American values that small businesses embody.
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Serving on House Transporation and Infrastructure Subcommittees | |
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I am honored to be selected to serve on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, Subcommittee on Aviation, and Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials. The Big First deserves representation on these three subcommittees, and we have a lot of work to do.
We need legislation that supports a modern and efficient highway network in America, ensuring the safe and orderly flow of people and commerce. We need to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), prioritizing American aviation infrastructure and safety programs while incorporating new technologies. We need to reauthorize the federal pipeline safety program, protecting the pipelines that are crucial for American energy independence. We need to develop a bipartisan Water Resources Development Act, improving ports, navigation, and flood protection. We need to conduct rigorous oversight over the Biden Administration’s reckless spending and bad regulations like WOTUS. I am proud to work on these issues to help provide America with a tailored, well-maintained, fiscally responsible infrastructure network to support economic activity, strengthen our supply chain, and remain a global power.
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Attending the First House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Hearing | |
Last week, I participated in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s organizational meeting and the first hearing of the 118th Congress. In the hearing, we discussed the state of transportation infrastructure and supply chain challenges like congested ports, burdensome operating standards, and limitations on the hours of service a distributor can work. We are working hard to make fiscally responsible improvements to the infrastructure system in America, strengthen the supply chain, and streamline the process by which American agriculture producers haul and ship commodities all over the world. | |
Introducing the Ag Export Promotion Act | |
Trade promotion is an essential function of a strong Farm Bill. The return on investment from private sector contributions, which accounted for roughly 75% of export promotion between 2013 and 2019, is unparalleled. I joined eight of my colleagues in introducing bicameral legislation that would amend the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to allow the Secretary of Agriculture to allocate additional resources to the Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program (FMD) for fiscal years 2024 to 2029. The Ag Export Promotion Act will help agricultural trade associations as they work tirelessly to ensure American producers remain competitive in the international marketplace. | |
Voting to condemn socialism in America | |
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Since socialist ideology runs counter to everything we stand for in America, one would think that Congress would vote unanimously on a resolution condemning it, but I'm shocked and appalled that out of 435 members of the House, 100 of my colleagues were not willing to vote with me. Socialism requires the concentration of power, which results in totalitarianism. Democracy, on the other hand, enshrines individual liberty and gives people a voice in who governs them. Socialism creates famine, devastation, and bloodshed – it tears families apart, creates exile and mass theft, and flatly denies rights as basic as personal property to individuals. You don’t have to look very far into the history of socialism to find these abuses and atrocities.
Socialism has no place in America, and I will always fight against socialist policies in Congress.
ICYMI:
Mann Minute following my vote to condemning socialism
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Voting to declare the COVID-19 pandemic over | |
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President Biden said it himself back in September – the pandemic is over. If he truly believes that, then we must end the national emergency, stop forcing health care workers to take COVID-19 vaccines and get federal employees back to in-person work. Washington Democrats politicized COVID, which divided our country and hurt our economy. Americans are moving forward, and we won't stand for any more executive overreach in the name of the pandemic. That's why last week, I voted YES on:
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Demanding transparency in federal spending | |
Thanks to reckless government spending, America is almost $32 trillion in debt. It’s time to put some practical, commonsense guardrails in place to hold the government accountable to stewarding taxpayer dollars more responsibly. I cosponsor H. Res. 96, the Transparency in Federal Spending Resolution, which would amend House rules to prohibit legislation that authorizes or makes appropriations without outlining the cost associated with the new legislation. $32 trillion of debt means it’s time to make some changes to the way Congress does things, and managing the laws we write based on their cost is a good place to start. | |
Stopping fentanyl from crossing into the U.S. | |
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Drug overdose is the number one killer of Americans between the ages of 18-45, and roughly 80% of overdose deaths in the last three years were caused by synthetic opioids like fentanyl. I cosponsor the Stop Fentanyl Border Crossings Act, which aims to stop dangerous drugs like fentanyl from getting into our country at our southern border. This bill expands Title 42 authority to allow the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to restrict migration and imports from foreign countries to prevent the introduction of fentanyl and other deadly, addictive drugs. It would also use Title 42 authority to expedite the expulsion process of illegal border crossers due to the immediate public health risks posed by the record amounts of fentanyl and other drugs crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.
People are dying in record numbers from fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, and Congress must combat this crisis before it gets any worse.
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On the House Floor:
Commitment to the Big First Checklist
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When I took office at the beginning of this year, I released my Commitment to the Big First, which is a legislative roadmap for the 118th Congress that details my plans for an economy that’s strong, a government that’s accountable, a future that’s built on freedom, and a nation that’s safe. In my Floor speech last week, I discussed how I'm actively upholding my commitment and working to get America back on track.
Watch my full remarks on the House Floor below:
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Meeting with the Kansas Association of School Boards | |
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The Kansas Association of School Boards plays an important role in supporting thousands of students across the Big First. It was a joy to meet with them last week to discuss the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
As a father of four, I understand how important it is to give Kansas students opportunities to learn and succeed. Thank you, Kansas Association of School Boards, for your work on behalf of Kansas students in the Big First and across the state.
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Meeting with National Association of School Nurses | |
Thank you, Ronda Hutchinson, Kansas Director of the National Association of School Nurses, for meeting with me last week. School nurses are often the only health professional a student regularly sees; they are leaders who bridge health care and education. I look forward to working with Ronda and other professionals across the Big First to work toward addressing the current nursing shortage and supporting school nurses. | |
Mann Listening Tour in Lawrence | |
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Thank you to everyone who joined me for my first town hall in Lawrence today. I’ve hosted over 140 town halls in the Big First, and I always appreciate the opportunity to get together, hear your thoughts and concerns, and discuss how I’m serving you in Congress. I’m looking forward to addressing issues that are important to the Lawrence community like nutrition, infrastructure, issues impacting small businesses, and more. It is an honor to represent you in Congress.
A special thank you to the Lawrence Public Library for hosting us, and to the local and state public officials who joined us. Please contact my office at (202) 225-2715 if there is any way that I can be helpful to you.
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Visiting Lawrence Police Department | |
After my Lawrence town hall, I visited the Lawrence Police Department and met with Chief of Police Rich Lockhart. We talked about the growing fentanyl crisis in Kansas and across the country. Our law enforcement officers are on the frontline of the battle against this deadly crisis that's infiltrating our country. Thank you, Chief Lockart, and all of the Lawrence law enforcement officers for keeping Lawrence safe. | |
Next Monday, I'm hosting town halls in Marshall, Washington, and Republic counties as part of my annual Mann Listening Tour. You can find more information about the meetings by visiting my website or calling my Manhattan office at (785) 370-7277. Information about more Mann Listening tour stops will be announced at a later date. I'm looking forward to visiting all 60 counties in the Big First. | |
Summer 2023 Internship Applications Now Open | |
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My office is now accepting applications for Summer 2023 interns! Our internship program is one of the highlights of serving the Big First District. It is a privilege to offer Kansas students the opportunity to serve our state and learn more about the legislative process.
Applicants may apply for the first session (May 22-June 30), the second session (July 3-August 11), or both. The deadline to apply for the Summer Internship session is March 12, 2023, at 5:00PM CT.
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Questions about the internship program? Contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 225-2715. | |
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Manhattan Office
317 Houston Street
Suite A
Manhattan, KS 66502
Phone: (785) 370-7277
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Dodge City Office
100 Military Avenue
Suite 203
Dodge City, KS 37801
Phone: (620) 682-7340
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Washington D.C. Office
344 Cannon HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2715
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If I can do anything to help you, please reach out to my office.
Sincerely,
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