Announcing Committee Assignments for the 118th Congress
For the 118th Congress, I am pleased to announce that I will continue serving as the lead Republican on the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs in addition to being selected to serve on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

As the lead Republican on the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs I remain committed to making certain our veterans have the health care, resources and benefits necessary for them to achieve success after service.

I was also selected to serve on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and will work to strengthen our national security and intelligence capabilities. Our nation’s intelligence community helps protect the U.S. from potential threats and inform elected officials on how to protect our national security. My responsibility is to make certain covert activities adhere to the law and our nation’s secrets are appropriately protected, as well as to support the patriotic men and women who serve our nation in the shadows.

I will continue to use my position on the Senate Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation to serve and advocate for Kansans from all backgrounds and career fields, including our state’s farmers, small business owners, veterans, manufacturers, students and parents.

I will serve on the following committees for the 118th Congress:
• Senate Committee on Appropriations
• Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
• Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
• Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (Ranking Member)

Discussing Chinese Spy Balloon on Fox News
As a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I joined Neil Cavuto on Fox News on Friday to discuss the Chinese spy balloon that was flying in U.S. airspace.

The Biden administration owes Congress and the American people an explanation for their decision to allow a Chinese spy balloon to fly across the entire country – including northeast Kansas.

We must be able to recover as much of the balloon and its cargo as possible to learn more about Chinese surveillance capabilities and what threats this balloon may have posed to Kansans and Americans. Many questions remain, and the Biden administration owes the American people answers.

You can watch my full interview on Fox News here.

Celebrating Black History Month
This Black History Month, we celebrate our nation’s rich Black history and culture – especially in Kansas. From Langston Hughes and George Washington Carver, to Brown v. Board of Education and Nicodemus, Kansas has been home to many Black Americans who helped to inspire change.

Introducing Legislation to Improve Care for Veterans
Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act
I joined Senators Jon Tester and Maggie Hassan – members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee – in introducing the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act. This legislation would expand community-based services for aging veterans as well as improve VA support for veterans and caregivers of all ages.

Senator Elizabeth Dole represents the millions of caregivers who have worked behind the scenes to care for our nation’s veterans who are impacted by advanced age or catastrophic injuries. Caregivers help veterans maintain their independence and stay in their own homes in their own communities for as long as possible as they age. The Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act expands access to home and community-based services. It is fitting we name this legislation after an honorary Kansan – Elizabeth Dole – who has worked as an advocate to honor and recognize our veterans and their caregivers.

Read more about the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act from KSN here.

RESPECT Act
I also introduced legislation this week to improve the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers by creating fair and commonsense processes for evaluating and assessing veterans who need a caregiver and providing additional support to caregivers themselves.

Our nation’s veterans, who require a caregiver because of a mental health condition or brain injury, deserve an evaluation and assessment process that works for them, and their caregivers deserve support as close to home as possible. Receiving input from a veteran’s previous health care provider and providing access to a thorough history of a veteran’s treatment will help the VA provide timely resources to veterans, and allowing caregivers to seek mental health care outside of VA will help them stay healthy, strong and able to continue supporting their veteran loved ones. The RESPECT Act was born out of conversations with Kansas veterans and caregivers, and I am glad that I could take their concerns back to the Senate and make meaningful change on their behalf.

Learn more about the RESPECT Act here.

Receiving Update From U.S. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth
On Wednesday, I met with U.S. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth for an update on the Army’s current and future efforts to recruit and retain talented young men and women who desire to serve their country in the military. As co-chair of the Senate Army Caucus, I look forward to hosting Secretary Wormuth in Kansas to showcase the incredible people and capabilities that make up the Army community in our state. I look forward to working with Secretary Wormuth in this role to support our military institutions and to advocate for our soldiers and their families in Kansas, the United States and across the globe.

Meeting with Ambassador of Turkey Murat Mercan
I met with Murat Mercan, Turkey’s Ambassador to the United States, to discuss issues important to our countries. During this meeting, we spoke about the potential sale of F-16s to Turkey and the expansion of NATO to include Finland and Sweden. As a NATO ally, it is important that our nations have good relations and that each country meets the expectations of the alliance. I appreciated this conversation as the Senate considers how best to strengthen security in Europe and beyond.

Meeting with Kansans
Kansas County & District Attorneys Association
This week, I met with members of the Kansas County & District Attorney Association – Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson, Smith County Attorney Tabitha Owen, Johnson County District Attorney Stephen Howe, Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez and Franklin County Attorney Brandon Jones. I appreciate them taking the time to meet with me and update me on what is happening in local Kansas communities across the state. During this meeting, we discussed the importance of providing support and resources to mental health systems in our local communities, no matter the size or location. I appreciate the leadership and dedication of our county and district attorneys.

Wounded Veterans
I met with Aaron Isaacson of Scandia and Steve Baskis, who were wounded during their military deployments to the Middle East. They have dedicated their lives to helping wounded veterans find purpose and community through adaptive sports and recreation, mountain climbing, hiking and sailing. In addition to helping wounded veterans through sports, they are focused on advocating for access equality for injured veterans and Americans with disabilities. I look forward to working alongside our nation’s heroes, like Aaron and Steve, to make certain our veterans and others have a voice to advocate for their needs.

Kansas Wheat
On Thursday, I visited with members of Kansas Wheat and received an update from them on their work to make certain our state remains a key leader in wheat production. Our wheat growers play an essential role in supporting the global food supply, and I look forward to continuing to work with Kansas Wheat to maintain a strong agriculture industry in our state. Thank you to Shayna DeGroot of Manhattan, Marsha Boswell of Westmoreland, Jay Armstrong of Muscotah, Chris Tanner of Norton, Greyson Tanner of Wichita and Brian Linin of Goodland for visiting with me.

Doug Keesling
It was great to meet with Doug Keesling, owner of Keesling Farms and a member of the Kansas Wheat Commission, during his visit to my Washington, D.C. office this week. As a fifth-generation farmer from east-central Kansas, Doug is a tireless advocate for our farmers and for maintaining a strong agriculture industry in our state. I always appreciate his updates and insight and want to thank him for meeting with me.

 

Council for Christian Colleges & Universities
I met with Tabor College President David Janzen, Friends University President Dr. Amy Bragg Carey and MidAmerica Nazarene University President Dr. David Spittal during their visit to Washington, D.C. on behalf of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. I appreciate them taking the time to speak with me about the continued success they are seeing in their schools as they offer both academic and spiritual mentorship for their students. I want to thank these university presidents for meeting with me and for their leadership in preparing young Kansans for success.

Hosting C.J. Mahoney, Former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative
This week, I enjoyed the chance to host C.J. Mahoney – former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, Russell native and one of the first interns in my U.S. House of Representatives office. C.J. visited me in my office this week and was kind enough to take a few minutes to share his insight, experiences and advice with my staff.

It was a privilege to have the opportunity to introduce C.J. to the Senate Finance Committee in 2018 when he was nominated to serve as Deputy U.S. Trade Representative. Throughout the years I have known C.J., I have been consistently impressed with his intelligence and talents, as well as his dedication to Kansas and our nation. He has an impressive professional background, including serving as a clerk for the United States Supreme Court clerkship, but even more than that, C.J. has a strength in personal character that reflects well on Kansas and his hometown of Russell. I am grateful to C.J. for taking the time to share his knowledge and insight with my staff this week.

Meeting with Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrota
On Tuesday, I met with Sanjay Mehrotra, CEO of Micron, a leader in domestic semiconductor manufacturing and the only U.S.-based memory technology producer. Micron creates innovative data solutions that power our computers, cell phones, cars and other critical infrastructure. I recently hosted Micron in Wichita to showcase the opportunities and strong workforce Kansas has to offer. During our meeting, we discussed the importance of the CHIPS and Science Act to the economic and national security of the country. We also spoke about potential future partnerships between Micron and Wichita State University. I look forward to working with Micron to bring semiconductor supply chains back to the U.S.