Protecting the Second Amendment and Curbing Gun Violence

I was disheartened this week by the White House Gun Violence task force’s recommendations and executive orders, which primarily focused on gun control and missed the opportunity to provide bold proposals that would address the cause of recent tragedies: mental illness.

You have my assurance that I will continue to fight proposals in the Senate that threaten our 2nd Amendment rights and fail to take real comprehensive action to curb a culture of gun violence. I fully support enforcing the gun laws currently on the books, instead of creating new ones that erode basic rights of self-protection and, though well intentioned, will be ineffective. Further, statistics show that passing gun legislation has no effect on removing guns from the hands of criminals, and, in the end, it is law-abiding citizens who are punished by gun control.

Out of the 23 executive actions the President announced, only a few addressed the mentally ill, a largely marginalized and tragically ignored segment of our society. We had a real opportunity to work together to address the problem of the culture of violence in America. Sadly, the President’s plan misses the mark.  Listen to my remarks on this matter by clicking here. 

Continuing to Fight For a Responsible Farm Bill

Last week, I had the privilege of speaking with the folks at the Kansas Soybean Expo in Topeka about our work to pass a Farm Bill. While the Senate passed a Farm Bill in 2012, the house did not. However, as part of the Fiscal Cliff Package, we recently passed an extension of the 2008 Farm Bill.

While the extension does not include the many reforms we achieved in the Senate Ag Committee, the extension continues the program decisions that were made in the 2008 Farm Bill until September 30, 2013. We must continue to fight to give our agriculture producers and all members of the agriculture industry long term certainty to plan and thrive. So, I look forward to continuing my work as a senior member of the Agriculture committee to serve Kansas agriculture and pass a responsible Farm Bill. See the Topeka Capital Journal’s write up on my visit to the Kansas Soybean Expo by clicking on the image below:

Air Force Announces McConnell AFB and Forbes Field as Finalists for New Tankers

This month, the United States Air Force recognized the critical role Kansas plays in our national security and global air mobility by selecting both McConnell Air Force Base (AFB) in Wichita and Forbes Airfield in Topeka as finalists for the basing of the KC-46A tanker program.

It is no wonder Kansas has two bases being considered for the tankers important new mission. With McConnell the top installation in the Air Force’s Air Mobility Command, and a front-runner in the Command-in-Chief’s Installation Excellence Award competition, and with the many opportunities for growth and performance at Forbes Field in Topeka, Kansas airmen and airwomen time and again demonstrate their steadfast dedication and hard work in contributing to the security of the United States. And, we have a great support network of civilian staff, neighbors and friends that help each installation achieve excellence.  

I look forward to the Air Force’s decision, expected sometime early next year.

Drought Response Team Meets

As most of you know, all of Kansas is suffering from severe drought – in fact, the USDA has already declared every one of our 105 counties as disaster areas for 2013. So, I want to thank Governor Sam Brownback and his drought response team for holding another successful roundtable last week. I was honored to participate. These meetings keep us coordinated as we work together to respond to the third year of this historic drought.

Talking School Lunch Regulation with Osage City Students

Last week, while visiting Eastern Kansas, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet with the students at Osage City High School. We had a great discussion about a wide range of issues, including the recent USDA regulations on calories in student lunches. The students in Osage City were none too pleased about their new government-mandated lunch menus, and I agree with them. Read more about our discussion in the Topeka Capital Journal HERE.

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

You can visit my YouTube site for more information on what’s happening in Washington, D.C. and Kansas by visiting youtube.com/SenPatRoberts. It's a great place to find speeches and debates on the Senate floor, press conferences, interviews and Senate hearings. You can also stay updated on all these happenings on Facebook and Twitter.

If you wish to contact me about an issue or want more information, please visit my website, roberts.senate.gov.