Sen. Marshall Defends Kansas Way of Life in Second Year

(Washington, D.C., January 3, 2023) – Exactly two years ago today, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. was sworn in to represent Kansas in the U.S. Senate. He’s been hard at work fighting to defend our Kansas values and way of life. From completing the 105 town hall listening tour across every county in Kansas to putting a stop to Joe Biden’s COVID vaccine mandate for our military, to visiting Kansans deployed in Germany, and more, Senator Marshall and our team accomplished a great deal in his second year in office.

“As I traveled across each of Kansas’ 105 counties this past year, I heard loud and clear that I was sent to D.C. to fight for the people of Kansas, for all Americans, but more than anyone else, I was sent here to fight for our children and grandchildren. It’s a great honor, and a greater responsibility as this Senate seat belongs to the citizens, past and present, of Kansas,” said Senator Marshall. “I came to Washington to make a difference, not just a point. While we face many challenges ahead as a nation given the failed policies of this Administration, I will never stop fighting for our Kansas values and our way of life.”

Being Responsive and Solving Issues Kansans have with the Federal Government:

In November of 2022, Senator Marshall completed his goal to hold 105 public town hall meetings in each of Kansas’ 105 counties. You may click HERE or on the image below to watch a highlight video from his 105 town hall meetings.

Additionally, Senator Marshall’s office conducted remote office hours in 10 different communities, providing direct access to his office for Kansans who live more than an hour away from one of the Senator’s offices. Furthermore, Senator Marshall provided resources and technical assistance to business and community leaders in all 105 counties, and wrote more than 50 letters of support to accompany federal grant applications from Kansas communities and organizations. The Senator also helped Kansans from 95 different communities interact with federal agencies on over 1,500 cases dealing with federal government issues. In 2022, dedicated members of Senator Marshall’s staff proudly assisted 143 veterans, 187 Kansans with IRS issues, 119 seniors with social security matters, along with 110 passport hurdles. The Senator’s office has an 85% favorability rating in our efforts helping Kansans.

Additionally, the Senator communicated with Kansans more than 225,000 times through the office’s robust mail program and launched a new website to better serve Kansans. The new website features several easy-to-navigate icons for Kansans to choose from when seeking assistance from Senator Marshall’s office. As part of the assistance, Senator Marshall launched an email address in February to help Americans seeking assistance exiting Ukraine.

In September, Senator Marshall and Olathe Police Department Chief Mike Butaud joined forces to nominate Olathe East High School School Resource Officer Erik Clark for the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor. The nomination came after Officer Clark displayed heroic actions to protect students and teachers from an active shooter at Olathe East High School on March 4, 2022. Be sure to click HERE or on the image below to read Senator Marshall’s nomination letter.

Fighting to Put a Stop to Joe Biden’s COVID Mandates:

Senator Marshall not once, but twice, was able to pass a Resolution to terminate the COVID-19 emergency declaration. The resolution was in response to the abuse of supersized executive emergency powers being deployed by the Biden administration to justify their student loan relief and out of control spending, among other things.

Senator Marshall’s resolution to overturn the CMS vaccine mandate for health care providers passed the Senate in March. The resolution was in response to concerns from Kansan health care providers, especially those serving in skilled nursing facilities and rural hospitals, as it would greatly impact access to care.

Additionally, Senator Marshall helped secure a major win as part of his longstanding effort to protect American servicemembers from Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Thanks to steadfast advocacy by Senator Marshall during his first two years in the Senate, the 2023 NDAA – legislation critical to American military preparedness – included a provision that halts the Department of Defense from forcing servicemembers to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

In September, Senator Marshall was honored as a 2022 Lee Greenwood Patriot Award recipient during a ceremony at the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City. The award recognizes leaders who support America’s veterans and military.

Fighting to Keep Kansans Safe and Secure:

Senator Marshall has been leading the fight in the Senate to protect our communities from the scourge of fentanyl. In September, he introduced the Drug Cartel Terrorist Designation Act, legislation to formally designate drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. As these cartels continue to invade our porous southern border with illicit guns and drugs that are killing hundreds of Americans each day, this designation is needed to ramp up efforts to combat them.

Senator Marshall also led the HALT Fentanyl Act, which would permanently give law enforcement the tools to help combat the fentanyl crisis by placing fentanyl-related substances as a class into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.

Most recently, he introduced the Cooper Davis Act, named after a young Kansas teen who lost his life from fentanyl poisoning. The legislation, which Senator Marshall worked with Cooper’s mom Libby Davis on, is cosponsored by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and requires social media companies and other communication service providers to take on a more active role in working with federal agencies to combat the illegal sale and distribution of drugs on their platforms. Be sure to click HERE or on the image below to watch a highlight video of Senator Marshall and Libby’s efforts on the Cooper Davis Act.

Additionally, Senator Marshall led five Kansas sheriffs to the Southern border amid the pending expiration of Title 42 and the growing fentanyl crisis that is wreaking havoc in Kansas and across the nation. You may click HERE or on the image below for a highlight video of their trip.

On the trip, Senator Marshall provided medical assistance to a migrant suffering from heat exhaustion. He would later go on to receive recognition from Shawnee Sheriff Brian Hill in acknowledgement of service above and beyond the call of duty for actions he took during the trip. You may click HERE or on the image below to watch the dramatic video.

Senator Marshall introduced the Safe Schools Act, legislation to allow COVID relief dollars to be used by schools on physical security measures, such as locks, panic buttons, individual room security systems, video surveillance, and hiring and paying the salaries of armed school resource officers. The bill was endorsed by Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, ZeroEyes, the Door and Hardware Institute, the Security Industry Association, as well as Kansas Rep. Kristey Williams and Kansas Sen. Renee Erickson.

Fighting to Lower Kansas Energy Prices:

Senator Marshall introduced the Gas Prices Relief Act which gives producers some certainty by blocking any new regulation from taking effect for at least a year or until gas prices dropped. He also fought off numerous attempts at fake permitting reform, which would have federalized the citing of transmission lines allowing them to shift more costs to hardworking Kansans. And, he led the charge in calling for a complete ban on imports of Russian oil and introduced numerous pieces of legislation to force the Biden Administration to fully enforce Russian energy sanctions.

Fighting for Small Businesses and to Lower Inflation:

Convenience stores, gas stations and other small businesses in Kansas are being taken advantage of by Visa and MasterCard on behalf of big banks in New York City at a time when they, and the communities they serve, are grappling with crippling inflation and staring down the barrel of a looming recession. In response, Senator Marshall partnered with Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) on the bipartisan Credit Card Competition Act to enhance competition and choice in the credit card network market, which is currently dominated by the Visa-Mastercard duopoly. The bill would direct the Federal Reserve to ensure that giant credit card-issuing banks offer a choice of at least two networks over which an electronic credit transaction may be processed. 1,700 companies and 200 trade associations announced support for the legislation. Be sure to click HERE or on the image below to watch the WSJ explain the issue of credit card swipe fees and what Senators Marshall and Durbin are doing about it.

Senator Marshall introduced legislation with Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) that helps small businesses hire new employees and supports aspiring entrepreneurs. Specifically, the bill directs Small Business Development Centers and Women Business Centers to assist small businesses in hiring career and technical education program graduates. The bill also gives CTE graduates access to resources that are useful for starting a small business.

In October, after previously completing four minority business roundtables across the state, Senator Marshall hosted Small Business Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman in the Kansas City metro area for a series of small business visits. Following a roundtable discussion at El Centro with local business leaders, Senator Marshall and Administrator Guzman toured Mark One Electric and CJ Industries.

Fighting for Kansas Values and our Heroes:

Senator Marshall served as Ranking Member for a U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) hearing on abortion laws following the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade and returning the issue of abortion to state governments. Having delivered more than 5,000 babies as an OBGYN for over 25 years, Senator Marshall dispelled pro-abortion lies about treating ectopic pregnancies and miscarriage care. He also highlighted the life-affirming maternal and infant health care pregnancy resource centers provide at no cost for women experiencing unplanned pregnancies.

When it comes to protecting Kansans’ 2nd Amendment rights from the ATF’s proposed registry for firearms with stabilizing braces, Senator Marshall introduced the SHORT Act. The bill removes the unconstitutional taxation, registration, and regulation of firearms such as Short Barreled Rifles, Short Barreled Shotguns, and Any Other Weapons.

Following passage of Joe Biden’s partisan Inflation Reduction Act, which gave the IRS nearly $80 billion in additional and unneeded funding to hire additional agents and auditors, Senator Marshall introduced legislation to ensure the IRS can’t harass law abiding citizens. The Preventing Frivolous Actions by IRS Agents Act compensates American citizens who were incorrectly subjected to failed IRS audits or legal actions. For any civil or criminal proceedings in which a taxpayer wins in court, they would be compensated for attorney’s fees, court costs and other expenses related to the taxpayer’s defense.

As the son and brother of a veteran, the father of a soldier, and veteran himself, Senator Marshall hosted veterans’ town halls in multiple cities, and made in-person visits to VA facilities throughout Kansas. Senator Marshall proudly voted for the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act and PACT Act, and he cosponsored legislation to expand education opportunities, improve access to mental and physical health care, and fund housing for veterans. You may click HERE to read more about Senator Marshall’s support for our veterans and military.

In March shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, Senator Marshall visited Germany and Poland to encourage troops from Fort Riley.

Additionally, Senator Marshall helped kick start the statue unveiling of Amelia Earhart during a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol. After waiting more than 20 years, Amelia Earhart’s statue replaced fellow Atchison native and former U.S. Senator John Ingalls as a part of the renowned collection of statues in the U.S. Capitol. She joined President Dwight D. Eisenhower, our 34th President and Abilene native, as one of Kansas’ tribute statues.

Fighting For Kansas Farmers and Ranchers:

Senator Marshall launched a video series titled: Ag Talk with Doc, in which he sits down with various leaders in agriculture for discussions on the latest news affecting America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers. For the first episode, Senator Marshall sat down with former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue at the American Farm Bureau Convention. He has since released episodes with former Senator Pat Roberts, former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall, and more.

Senator Marshall’s Ocean Shipping Reform Act was signed was into law. The legislation improves efficiency in our broken supply chains by prohibiting ocean carriers from unreasonably refusing cargo space accommodations for U.S. exports and from discriminating against U.S. exporters.

Additionally the Senator led the fight to decrease fertilizer prices including the introduction of the Emergency Relief From Duties Act, a bill aimed at creating emergency waivers for duties leveed on fertilizers by the U.S. International Trade Commission. He also introduced the Fertilizer SUSTAIN Act to strengthen our domestic fertilizer industry and ensure that American growers have access to the crop nutrients they need to grow the food that is relied upon by the United States and nations around the world.

Senator Marshall has also led the fight calling on the Administration to abandon its war on necessary crop chemicals including the introduction of the EPA Transparency for Agriculture Products Act, a comprehensive bill to prevent the EPA from overregulating essential pesticides that the ag industry heavily depends upon.

In April, Senator Marshall hosted an event discussing the war in Ukraine and what it means for global food security. Senator Marshall was joined by Senator Joni Ernst (IA) as well as Ukrainian Civil Society leaders Dr. Hanna Hopko, Daria Kaleniuk, and Maria Berlinska. You may click HERE or on the image below for a highlight video of the event.

Fighting for Better and Affordable Healthcare for Kansans:

In May, President Biden signed into law Senator Marshall’s bipartisan, bicameral legislation to improve access to infant formula families who participate in the WIC program. Senator Marshall is one of the leading Members of Congress to hold the Biden Administration accountable having led letters on the issue and questioning the FDA Commissioner.

Fighting to get to the Bottom of the Origins of COVID-19:

Throughout 2022, Senator Marshall continued his investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic because Kansans deserve to know what happened so that future outbreaks can be better mitigated, detected, and managed. In an interview hosted by the Hudson Institute, a bipartisan think tank, Senator Marshall discussed his work on this issue extensively with David Asher, who led the State Department’s COVID-19 origins investigation for the Trump Administration. You may click HERE or on the image below to watch the interview.

Cornerstones of Senator Marshall’s investigation includes his leadership of Federal government policy reforms to U.S.-sponsored viral Gain-of-Function (GoF) research while pressing to hold federal public health officials accountable for the cover-ups of their contributions to this dangerous research with pandemic potential. Viral GoF research genetically manipulates a virus and to alter its transmissibility and infectiousness, which can cause the virus to be resistant to immune responses or vaccines.

In August during a U.S. Senate hearing, Senator Marshall further raised the alarm on the dangers of viral GoF research projects, especially those conducted in China, He also highlighted Dr. Anthony Fauci’s efforts to offshore viral GoF research sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to China through EcoHealth Alliance, a nonprofit organization that passed its grant awards to Chinese researchers, including those at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Expert witnesses testified this viral GoF research technique provides no benefit to public health and instead can transform a virus into a bioweapon. You may click HERE or on the image below to watch Senator Marshall’s full remarks during the hearing.

Senator Marshall made repeated attempts to put a stop to the U.S. federal government’s involvement in GoF research. He sought unanimous consent on the Senator floor to pass his Viral Gain of Function Research Moratorium Act and SAFE Risky Research Act, two bills that would have limited GoF research sponsored by the American government. Both bills were blocked by Senate Democrats. Additionally, in a letter to the White House on November 22, Senator Marshall demanded that the federal government implement a government-wide ban on all ongoing and new viral GoF and Dual Use Research of Concern studies in the life sciences involving all enhanced pathogens of pandemic potential due to the current lack of research oversight, clear guidelines, and potential risks of outbreaks from laboratory accidents.

When the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) refused to cooperate with the Senator’s investigative records requests, Senator Marshall used a mechanism available to him in the Senate to hold White House nominations until USAID produced records and as a result, the Senator has been receiving documents directly relevant to the U.S. funding of risky research in China that could have led to the COVID-19 outbreak. Based on evaluation of information obtained in the USAID records, numerous Senators joined Senator Marshall’s request to USAID to suspend ongoing grant awards to EcoHealth Alliance, the nonprofit organization that also received NIH grants and failed to produce evidence of the risky bat coronavirus research they conducted in China that could have caused the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2022, Senator Marshall pressed Dr. Fauci for transparency in his financial income records when Dr. Fauci’s failed to disclose them despite requirements. As a result, Dr. Fauci produced previously unpublished documents about his finances that revealed up to $1 million in royalties paid to him from a medical book publishing company in a potential financial conflict of interest with his public health leadership role. As a result of this discovery, Senator Marshall later introduced the Financial Accountability for Uniquely Compensated Individuals (FAUCI) Act, which requires the public access of financial disclosures on the official Office of Government Ethics (OGE) website for administration officials like Dr. Fauci. Senator Marshall’s oversight efforts continued when Dr. Fauci announced his retirement and the Senator notified the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services of its responsibility to maintain all documentation, including Dr. Fauci’s emails and other records.

Senator Marshall penned several Op-eds last year:

FOX News: Biden admin needs Warp Speed for COVID therapeutics

Agri-Pulse: Why high fertilizer prices on the farm could hit consumers on their forks

Daily Caller: Health Officials And The Media Have Whipped Americans Into An Unhealthy Fear Of COVID

Washington Examiner: Email trail shows how Anthony Fauci and Francis Collins distorted public views on COVID

Topeka Capital Journal: Biden administration must take action to target out-of-control inflation that is hurting Kansans

Kansas City Star/Wichita Eagle: Russian chaos in Ukraine hurts world supplies of wheat, corn and more

FOX News: Ukrainians can win this war. But, the world has to step up

FOX News: Inflation Makes Americans Sicker

Washington Times: Will U.S. or China hold keys to the 2nd nuclear era?

Topeka Capital Journal: Twenty-five years delivering babies informs decision to support Kansas constitutional amendment

FOX News: Ignore myths from left on ectopic pregnancy, more. Here are the facts