Kansas Common Sense - National Agriculture Week
Statement
Hello,
Welcome to "Kansas Common Sense." Thank you for your continued interest in receiving my weekly newsletter. Please feel free to forward it on to your family and friends if it would interest them.
National Agriculture Week
This week was National Agriculture Week. Regardless of our job or where we live, agriculture matters to us. Agriculture puts food on our tables, clothes on our backs, and roofs above our heads. If we want strong schools, growing businesses and vibrant communities, we must make certain farmers and ranchers in our state have the opportunity to prosper. When agriculture is successful, Kansas is successful. In addition to being the economic backbone of so many of the towns you and I come from, agriculture is also our link to the past -- times when family was the axis around which all things revolved. In today's fast-paced world, there are few industries where sons and daughters can work side-by-side with moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas. I will continue to work to keep Kansas' tradition of agriculture alive through strong agriculture policy so that farmers and ranchers can pass on their heritage to the next generation of producers.
Dietary Guidelines Comment Period Extended
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, formulated every five years by USDA and HHS, provide a blueprint for how Americans can have a healthy, nutritious diet. The guidelines also form the basis for our federal nutrition policy and food assistance programs. Recently, a report issued by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, meant to provide unbiased dietary recommendations based on nutritional science, contained a number of concerning and inappropriate recommendations.
The report relegates the role of lean meat in a healthy diet to a footnote in the 500-plus page report, instead recommending that Americans eat a heavily plant-based diet. The report also factors in environmental sustainability into its dietary recommendations -- a field outside the committee members' background or expertise. Not only does the potential harm to Kansas beef producers greatly concern me, but we are left to wonder if the committee simply ignored the extensive, peer-reviewed research that shows lean red meat as part of a healthy diet.
I am pleased USDA heeded our call for an extension of the comment period to make certain stakeholders have enough time to review and comment on the report. However, it is only a small first step. As the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman and as a member of the Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, I will continue to be diligent in my oversight as the agencies finalize the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Reforming the Examination Process for Financial Institutions
This week I introduced much-needed, bipartisan legislation to reform the bank examination process. The Financial Institutions Examination Fairness and Reform Act (S. 774) will give financial institutions reasonable and timely access to their examination results and provide them with the right to have those examination determinations independently reviewed. By creating a culture of openness and transparency around the examination process, financial institutions can have confidence that their concerns are fairly heard.
Community banks and credit unions continue to be disproportionately burdened by Dodd-Frank's rules and recordkeeping requirements because they are less able to absorb compliance costs. By improving the examination process, our banks and credit unions can better serve their communities and promote economic growth in the places they call home. Click here to learn more.
Examining the Evolving Cyber Insurance Marketplace
On Thursday, I convened my second hearing as Chairman of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance, and Data Security. The hearing examined the emerging cybersecurity insurance market and strategies for companies to improve their cyber posture. American consumers and businesses face serious cyber threats. Just this week, we learned of yet another significant data breach at a health insurer. These types of incidents are all too frequent. One strategy for businesses to mitigate cyber or privacy-related losses is the purchase of cybersecurity insurance.
While an insurer's primary function is to mitigate financial losses -- not defend against cyber threats -- cyber insurance may be a market-oriented approach to help businesses improve their cybersecurity posture by tying policy eligibility or lower premiums to better cybersecurity practices. An example of this relationship is an auto insurer offering a "good driver discount" to a customer who avoids accidents or driving violations. This policy creates an additional incentive to a driver to be more cautious and attentive, and while the premium receipt an insurer receives may be lower, in the end they have fewer claims to pay out.
The cyber insurance market is one of the fastest growing commercial lines of insurance. Approximately 50 carriers now offer stand-alone cyber policies, and the total written premiums were $1.5-2 billion in 2014. Some estimates show the market could grow as high as $5 billion by the decade's end. One topic that was uncovered during the hearing is the difficulty of small businesses to afford and understand their policies. To watch a video of the hearing or to read witness testimony, please click here.
Meeting with Secretary of the Army John McHugh
It was a pleasure to meet with Secretary of the Army John McHugh. As a Member of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, I had the opportunity to question Secretary McHugh last week during his testimony regarding the Army's FY16 Budget Request. As a follow up to our exchange during the hearing, Secretary McHugh stopped by to further discuss important Army issues in Kansas, particularly emphasizing the Army's requirements and investments in Fort Leavenworth and Fort Riley.
I appreciated the Secretary's candor and willingness to explain the Army's decision-making process related to potential force reductions that could impact Brigade Combat Teams Army-wide, to include those stationed at Fort Riley. I wanted to make certain the Secretary clearly understood the immense opportunity and advantages that Fort Riley offers the Army and the 1st Infantry Division -- from infrastructure, to home base ground and air training, enhanced medical care with a brand new Irwin Army Community Hospital, and the ability to quickly deploy from regional airfields and rail heads. I also described how cost conscious and fiscally responsible Fort Riley is among other division-level bases. The excellent quality of life that soldiers and their families experience in the Junction City and Manhattan communities is a clear indication of how supportive Kansans are to our U.S. Army. This was evident when 4,300 Kansans showed up to support the Big Red One last month at the Army Listening Session. In fact, Big Red One soldiers are more likely to reenlist or extend their active duty service obligation when assigned to the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas, compared to other division-level bases. I will continue my discussions with the Army, particularly senior leaders who oversee these important issues facing Fort Leavenworth and Fort Riley.
ITI Legislator of the Year
I was named a tech legislator of the year this week by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) -- the global voice of the tech sector. Throughout my time in public service, I have been an advocate for innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation. Our country was built on innovation, and we must protect that legacy by putting policies in place that foster a pro-growth environment where businesses can succeed and consumers can benefit.
Community Visit in Marion
It was a beautiful day in Kansas on Saturday. On my drive to Wellington, I had the opportunity to stop in Marion to visit with residents and businesses. In addition to the Library, I stopped by Casey's General Store and Marion Health Mart. Thanks again for being so welcoming and for the good conversation.
TRIO Programs' 21st Annual Legislative Breakfast
This week, I attended Kansas TRIO Programs' 21st Annual Legislative Breakfast. I had the opportunity to meet Kansas TRIO Alumni and University of Kansas graduates Jyleesa Hampton, Nicole Humphrey and Allora Richey (pictured with me below), and hear their inspiring stories about pursuing higher education with the support of TRIO programs.
TRIO programs operate in 19 Kansas postsecondary schools and provide services to students from low-income and disadvantaged backgrounds, students with disabilities, adult learners and veterans. The programs support students in achieving their goal of completing higher education, and often becoming the first in their family to earn a college degree. Thanks to Wichita State's Kaye Monk-Morgan for emceeing the event and to the Kansas TRIO staffs for hosting the breakfast.
Speaking at Sumner-Cowley Electric Cooperative Annual Meeting
On Saturday, I traveled to Wellington to speak at the Sumner-Cowley Electric Cooperative Annual Meeting. Despite the challenges posed by an ever-growing number of burdensome federal regulations, the cooperative successfully brings affordable, reliable electric service to families and businesses in a 2,500 square mile service area. One of the most burdensome regulations is the decision by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to list the lesser prairie chicken as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. In January, I introduced legislation to reverse this ill-advised action which is yet another example of the federal government unnecessarily intruding into private lives and businesses. In fact, a number of industries -- farming, ranching, oil and gas development, transportation and wind energy -- are already feeling the effects of the listing. I remain committed to reversing this intrusive action which infringes on private property rights and hinders economic development. I also discussed the negative effects of the EPA's greenhouse gas rules and the President's veto of the Keystone Pipeline. I also appreciated the opportunity to visit with members and share my support for the important work they do. Thanks to coop CEO Cletas Rains for the kind introduction. A special thank you to board member John Whittington for inviting me to speak.
Grand Opening of A Cup On The Hill Coffee Shop
This morning in Kansas City, I participated in A Cup On The Hill Coffee Shop's grand opening. A Cup on the Hill was first formed in 2009 to give Kansas City residents the opportunity to inspire change within their community and empower disadvantaged youth to be productive members of society. Last year, Community Housing of Wyandotte County (CHWC) -- a Community Development Corporation -- partnered with A Cup on the Hill to establish the café to bring high-quality coffee to the community and educate its youth. Here, I'm pictured alongside CHWC CEO & Executive Director Donny Smith, Assistant Cafe Manager Jamina Bone, Cafe Manager Jessica Johnson and former KCK Mayor Joe Reardon.
Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center
On Tuesday, I visited with Ed Berger, the Chair of Revitalization Initiatives for the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson. The Cosmosphere is one of the most comprehensive space museums in the world, holding a sizeable collection of more than 15,000 U.S. and Russian space artifacts. Dr. Berger was in Washington, D.C., to give me an update on the progress of the Cosmosphere's revitalization plan. Last summer the Cosmosphere's Governing Board approved a revitalization plan with major emphasis on informal Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education initiatives. The main goal of the revitalization effort is to position the Cosmosphere as a STEM learning hub in Kansas, and contribute to efforts to increase the STEM workforce by fostering interest in STEM subjects among Kansas youth. This is an important mission considering the number of jobs requiring STEM degrees is increasing at three times the rate of the rest of the job market, all while the number of students pursuing STEM education is declining. If this trend continues, American businesses are projected to need an estimated 800,000 workers with advanced STEM degrees by 2018, but will only find 550,000 American graduates with those degrees they need. I appreciate the Cosmosphere's efforts to be part of the solution in addressing the need for a stronger STEM workforce in Kansas. Thanks to Dr. Berger for traveling to Washington to share the latest on the Cosmosphere's progress.
Holton Rotary Club
I made it back from Washington to give remarks at Holton Rotary Club. It was good to visit with fellow Rotarians and get an update on what's happening in the Holton Community. Thanks to Dr. Jeff Warner for helping to coordinate my attendance.
Source