SENATOR ROBERTS OF KANSAS

March Roberts Report

March 19, 2010

Health Care Reform
Health care reform remains the top issue before Congress, and Senator Roberts remains disappointed by the manner in which this debate has occurred. “I voted against this bill in December because it will raise taxes in a struggling economy, cut Medicare by half a billion dollars and most importantly, do nothing to reduce the costs of health care for hardworking Americans. Finally, it will not ensure that all those in need have access to care,” Senator Roberts said.

“Health care reform remains a procedural mess. Leaders on Capitol Hill know that this bill doesn’t have the support of the public, based on a variety of opinion polls, so they are determined to ram it through. In the House, leaders are so desperate to enact the bill that they want to avoid asking the Members to vote on the unpopular health care reform that will reform one-sixth of our entire economy. Instead, they are preparing to substitute another bill for the vote and ‘deem’ health care passed as part of it. That has never been done for such a major piece of legislation and many scholars believe it is unconstitutional.”

“I believe we need real health care reform in America, but this bill is not the answer. It costs $940 billion, leaving 23 million people uninsured while raising taxes, cutting Medicare and adding unfunded mandates. I remain committed to responsible and practical health care reform, but this huge increase in government control in the bill – which won’t bring down the cost of care for families -- is not the answer.”

Kansas Bioscience Authority and NBAF
At the annual meeting in Washington, DC, Senator Roberts met with members of the Kansas Bioscience Authority (KBA) including many state officials including the Governor, the Kansas Congressional Delegation, and leaders from the state universities about KBA’s recent efforts to promote bioscience in Kansas. The top issue discussed was the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) now being built at Kansas State University, which will be the nation’s premier research center to protect American food supply and agriculture economy. The current NBAF lab on Plum Island, New York, is aging, being phased out and moved to KSU. The Administration has demonstrated building the new NBAF is a priority and we are staying on schedule.

“As Honorary Chairman of the Kansas NBAF Task Force, we can really be proud of our teamwork that proved Kansas was the best site for this lab. With KBA’s help, we had a unity of effort from the federal to the local level, across parties, with private partners and community leaders to bring this tremendous opportunity to the people of Kansas that will have a $3.5 billion impact on the Kansas economy. Thank you to all these leaders for your strong commitment to NBAF and Kansas’ research capabilities in bioscience, which will lead to a stronger economy for our state for generations to come,” Senator Roberts said.

Additionally, Kansas State University recently earned a “Center of Excellence” designation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for Zoonotic and Animal Disease Defense. Kansas State will share the designation with Texas A&M University, with Kansas State taking the lead on Biological Research and Education Programs and receiving $2 million per year for 6 years. Kansas State was one of three universities competing for the designation through a three-step process that involved external peer review, internal subject matter expert review and site visits.

“Once again, Kansas State has proven that our state is a leader in animal disease research. Kansas State has worked hard to earn this honor. I am proud of their efforts to further our national security,” Roberts said.

For more information on NBAF, visit http://www.nbafinkansas.org/ and for more information on the KBA, visit: http://www.kansasbioauthority.org/ .

Haskell Indian Nations University
Senator Roberts, Senator Brownback, Rep. Jenkins (R-KS) and Rep. Moore (D-KS) sent a letter to United States Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar regarding concerns from constituents and media reports at Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU) in Lawrence. As a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Senator Roberts remains committed to looking into this situation.

“I have heard from many Kansans regarding the lack of leadership at Haskell and the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE),” Senator Roberts said. “In October, I forwarded a letter to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) regarding troubling issues at Haskell. I question the logic of assigning a Haskell President to an office in Oklahoma when the duty is to the students and faculty in Lawrence. Currently, students have a limited number of accredited bachelor’s degree programs and there are reports accreditation visits have recently been canceled.”

“After meeting personally with Secretary Salazar, I am hopeful we can now get the answers to these serious questions. We must work to ensure Haskell students are getting the quality education they deserve. I look forward to working with the Sec. Salazar and the Bureau of Indian Education to ensure accountability and transparency on this important issue.”

Kansas Farm Bureau Speech
Senator Roberts recently addressed the annual Kansas Farm Bureau Delegation Meeting in Washington, DC. Roberts discussed budget cuts, the national debt, EPA regulations and defended production agriculture. To hear audio from Senator Roberts on this, go to: http://src.senate.gov/public/_files/radio/robertsactuality031010.mp3 .

“The total U.S. national debt is at $14 trillion, and the vast majority of taxpayers are fed up with it and so am I. Unfortunately the Administration continues to focus on agriculture spending for cuts instead of the failed stimulus plan. Farm program spending accounts for 0.16 percent of total federal spending. I believe the federal budget should be reduced, but not by placing a disproportionate burden on the backs of farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. Cutting farm programs in the midst of an economic downturn sends the wrong signal to rural America. It’s good to remember that each Kansas farmer feeds 144 people in a global marketplace.”

In addition, this week Senator Roberts and Senate Ag Committee Ranking Member Saxby Chambliss of Georgia and a group of Senators sent a letter to the President strongly opposing these proposed budget cuts in the farm safety net.

U.S. Census Reminder
A reminder that mandated by the U.S. Constitution, the United States Census Bureau counts every resident in the United States every 10 years. This year, the census forms were mailed to every residence earlier this month. The form’s questions relate to age, date of birth, and whether one rents or owns a home. It will not ask for Social Security numbers. As spelled out in the Constitution, the decennial census is used to determine a state’s Congressional representation, making it extremely important to fill out. The information collected by the Census Bureau is used strictly for statistical purposes. By law, personal information cannot be shared with anyone including other government agencies.

The regional Census Bureau call center is in Kansas City and the phone number is 816-994-2000. For general information from the Census Bureau, visit: http://2010.census.gov/2010census/ . If there are further questions about this process or the forms, please contact one of Senator Roberts’ offices at http://www.roberts.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=OfficeLocations .

Meeting the new EPA Administrator
Senator Roberts recently met the newly appointed Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 7 Administrator, Karl Brooks. Regional Administrator Brooks serves Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska for the EPA out of Kansas City, Kansas.

“EPA continues to work with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) toward a solution for the people of Treece.,” Senator Roberts said. “In October, Congress passed legislation that is now law, which I supported, giving authority to the EPA to voluntarily relocate the residents of Treece. I encouraged Administrator Brooks to visit Treece to see the situation firsthand. I am hopeful we are working toward a long-term and safe solution for the people of Treece.

“We also discussed several issues affecting agriculture in Kansas: pesticide regulations, rural dust, Flint Hills range burning, and water permits. I hope we can continue open communication on these regulations that affect our Kansas farmers and ranchers.”

Flood Preparedness
With spring upon us, Senator Roberts shared the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s recent information on flood preparedness tips in preparation for the possibility of seasonal flooding. Flooding is the nation’s most common natural disaster that can happen in any state, and the damages do not always amount to the level of a federally declared disaster. In many states in the high plains, including Kansas, flooding is the number one natural hazard for the region according to FEMA.

FEMA suggested the following steps in order to protect family and property: get an emergency supply kit, make a family emergency plan and get informed of flood warnings in your area.
For more information on flood risks and preparedness tips for homes and businesses from FEMA, visit www.ready.gov or www.fema.gov . The Kansas Division of Emergency Management also has a helpful website: http://www.kansas.gov/kdem/ .

To follow Senator Roberts on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SenPatRoberts . To watch Senator Roberts on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/SenPatRoberts .