Visiting WaterOne in Johnson County

Earlier this month, I visited Johnson County’s primary water treatment facility operated by WaterOne. Both Garney Construction and Black & Veatch are working on upgrading this important facility, which will provide clean drinking water to Johnson County. During the visit, I toured the site and met employees working on the project.

Garney Construction is an employee-owned business, which has had a major impact on the Kansas City area through the years. There is truly something special about employee-owned businesses, and I enjoyed meeting with these employees to hear more about what they do day-to-day. These types of businesses help workers feel more motivated and passionate about their companies, giving them a stake in their success, and increasing their retirement savings. I saw all of this on display during my visit with Garney Construction.

Touring the new tower at KU Cancer Center

After visiting with Garney Construction employees, I headed to the KU Cancer Center in Kansas City, where I checked out the new Cambridge Tower A. This facility is a fantastic addition for the people of Kansas.

Cambridge Tower A opened late last year and adds hospital beds and operating rooms to the hospital. 

During my tour, I visited with Dr. Roy Jensen, KU Cancer Center Director, Dr. Robert Simari, Executive Vice Chancellor at the KU Medical Center, and Dr. Richard Barohn, who serves as the Director of Clinical and Translation Science Institute at the KU Medical Center. They are all working hard to improve health outcomes for Kansans.

Doonan Specialized Trailers

I also traveled to Great Bend, where I toured Doonan Specialized Trailers. During the tour, Mike Gordy, co-manager of Doonan Specialized Trailers, told me that it now costs an additional $800 to build a trailer due to steel and aluminum tariffs. I am concerned about how the tariffs and retaliatory tariffs are harming manufacturers, their employees and customers, as well as farmers and ranchers.

Mike also told me that the economy is strong and Doonan is hiring. He is in search of qualified welders and works closely with Barton County Community College on recruiting efforts.

Dodge City Chamber 

During the trip, I traveled to Dodge City, where I spoke at the Dodge City Chamber of Commerce coffee at the Historic Santa Fe Depot. It was nice to see many familiar faces. There were several questions about trade, agriculture and the Farm Bill.

Garden City Chamber

I also traveled to Garden City, where I spoke with the Garden City Chamber of Commerce. Garden City is a growing community, for sure. During this stop, I provided the group with an update on what work I’ve been doing in Washington, D.C.

Trade, agriculture, tariffs and the Farm Bill were definitely the hot topics of discussion in Finney County as well.

A Productive August for the U.S. Senate

Usually in August the Senate is in recess allowing senators to work in their states. This August, the Senate is in session working to approve judicial nominations and confirm presidential appointees to the Executive branch. Despite the Minority’s stalling tactics, the Republican-led Senate has confirmed a total of 51 judicial nominees this Congress, including 24 circuit judges, 26 district judges, and Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch -- including two well-qualified judges for Kansas courts, Judge John Broomes and Judge Holly Teeter. The confirmation process is underway for President Trump’s second Supreme Court nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing is set to begin on September 4. 

Also this August, the Republican-led Senate is restoring regular order and working in a bi-partisan manner to do what we were elected to do: make the tough decisions on spending for the federal government.

Working in a bipartisan manner, the Senate has approved seven spending bills and is considering two more this month, including one of the most significant – our national defense. The Defense Appropriations bill contains a 2.6 percent pay raise for U.S. servicemembers, the largest pay raise for troops in almost a decade.

The Labor/Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill being considered this month contains billions of dollars to fight back against the opioid crisis; hundreds of millions to support and retrain American workers who need a boost back into the labor force; hundreds of millions more for employment training specifically for veterans; funding for the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health; and federal funding for our nation’s schools.

In addition, I am hard at work negotiating a Farm Bill as the Chairman of the Farm Bill Conference Committee. We hope to have our first public Conference Committee meeting when the House returns to Washington in September. 

Check Senator Roberts’ Website, YouTube and Facebook Sites for Updates

Keep up to date with Senator Roberts online by following him on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. It’s a great place to find photos, interviews, videos, speeches, and hearings.