State Fair in Hutch

Senator Roberts enjoyed the chance to attend the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson this month. He started the day by addressing the Kansas Farm Bureau’s Ag Leaders breakfast along with Senator Sam Brownback and Congressman Jerry Moran. Senator Roberts said, “Thank you to all the agriculture leaders and farmers in Kansas who attended and continue to reinforce the need for me, Sen. Brownback, and Rep. Moran to be a voice for production agriculture in Congress. Kansas farmers feed a troubled and hungry world and they continue to do so by fighting an onslaught of federal red tape from continued Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, continued tax increases, and rules from officials in Washington who have never been on a farm in rural America. I remain committed to production agriculture and will fight for our Kansas farmers in ranchers in the Senate. Thank you to the Kansas Farm Bureau for their continued advice and counsel and for having me speak at the fair.”

After the farm breakfast, Roberts also discussed the current agriculture issues facing our state and nation with two long-time reporter friends, Greg Akagi of WIBW radio and Larry Steckline of Mid-America News Network.

Sen. Roberts also appreciated the chance to work his booth at the state fair by visiting with Kansans who stopped by to voice their opinion. Roberts said, “I learned that health care, the new law that was rammed through Congress, is still very unpopular, but the economy and spending remain the top concerns for most folks. Many Kansans are weary of the looming tax increases coming next year and worry about our fragile economy rebounding in the midst of higher taxes. I reiterated to many Kansans who stopped by the booth that I will support extending the bipartisan tax relief that was passed in 2001 and 2003 to allow Kansans to keep more of the dollars they earn in order to get this economy back on track.”

Calling for Hearings on Obamacare

In response to multiple reports of rising health insurance premiums, Senator Roberts joined a group of Senators in calling for hearings on Obamacare to address this issue of increased cost of health care for consumers. Earlier this year during the debate on Obamacare, Sen. Roberts warned premiums would rise as a result of the legislation that he opposed.

As a member of the Senate Finance and Health Committees, Roberts joined Senator Grassley (R-IA) and other Republican Senators, in sending a letter to Senator Baucus (D-MT), Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee requesting hearings to examine Obamacare. The Senators wrote: “We write to request that the Senate Committee on Finance hold a hearing before the next recess on the topic of the new health reform law’s effects on health insurance premiums for individuals, families and employers. As you know, we are now beginning to see how some of the changes enacted in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) will affect health insurance premiums. In fact, a recent article in the Wall Street Journal reported that some health plans will be raising premiums between 1 and 9 percent in the next plan year as a direct result of changes in the health reform law. Others, including Secretary Sebelius, have predicted much lower increases. A public hearing would provide an opportunity to sort through these different estimates and review the changes affecting premiums. The cost of health insurance has been an important part of the health reform debate since it began and we should use all the resources available, including a public hearing, to review the current facts and inform our constituents.”

Congresswoman Jan Meyers Post Office in Overland Park

Earlier this month, Senator Roberts was on hand to help dedicate the Congresswoman Jan Meyers Post Office Building in Overland Park along with Senator Sam Brownback, Congressman Dennis Moore, and several local officials. Congress passed legislation this year authored by Rep. Moore and Sen. Roberts to designate the Brookridge Post Office at 9727 Antioch Road for Congresswoman Meyers.

“The dedication was a celebration of her life of public service and I congratulate my dear friend and colleague on this well deserved honor. Jan’s dedication and commitment to Overland Park, the state of Kansas and America through 30 years of public service is impressive and has made a difference. One can stand on any street corner in Johnson County and see strong evidence of her efforts. Congresswoman Meyers has always been a respectful listener and a tough negotiator who earned the respect and affection of colleagues on both sides of the aisle, which is exactly what made her an effective Chairwoman of the Small Business Committee. Her service as the first woman to chair a standing committee in forty years is noteworthy. Jan is one of those rare people who will stand behind a colleague when they are taking the bows, and right beside them when they are taking the boos. In naming the facility in Overland Park the Congresswoman Jan Meyers Post Office Building, we honored a public servant of the highest order whose dedicated service should be an inspiration for generations to come. I want to congratulate and thank Jan for all she has done to deserve this recognition,” Senator Roberts said.

Federal Aviation Administration Renewal Needed

Senators Roberts and Brownback and Reps. Jenkins, Moran and Tiarht recently called for passage of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) bill to provide stability to an industry suffering in a struggling economy. Roberts led the members of the Kansas Congressional delegation in writing a letter to urge Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to bring the FAA authorization bill to the floor. To listen to audio from Senator Roberts urging FAA renewal: http://src.senate.gov/public/files/radio/robertsactuality092210.mp3 .

In the letter, they wrote: “We write in response to the growing instability faced by Kansas businesses and employees due to a lack of long term federal aviation policy. Kansas is home to nearly 3,200 aviation and manufacturing businesses, including Cessna, Hawker-Beechraft, Bombardier-Learjet, Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems, Garmin, Honeywell and many more. When Congress began debating the FAA reauthorization bill over two years ago, more than 40,000 employees in Wichita and surrounding communities made their living building planes, manufacturing parts and servicing aviation. Unfortunately, due to rough economic conditions, aviation related jobs have dropped to under 25,000. One way Congress can help provide stability to this industry and their employees is to pass a long term reauthorization bill. As businesses struggle to emerge from the recession, long range planning is necessary to successfully rebuild. Therefore, we urge you to bring a long term FAA reauthorization bill to the floor before Congress adjourns.”

“Guardian of Small Business” Award

For his voting record during the 111th Congress, Senator Roberts recently received the “Guardian of Small Business” Award from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the leading association representing small and independent businesses. During the 2009 and 2010 sessions of Congress, NFIB tracked 11 key small-business votes in the Senate ranging from tax relief to affordable health care, credit cardholder rights, reducing federal debt, campaign contribution reform and regulatory reform.

Senator Roberts said, “Small businesses are the backbone of our nation’s economy. Now more than ever small businesses and entrepreneurs are essential to our economic recovery as they are America’s job creators. In Kansas, small businesses are vital to the financial well-being of the state's economy. It is an honor to accept this award and I am proud to support efforts to help small businesses grow and expand. I will continue to work to ensure that Congress provides an environment that fosters the growth of small and independent businesses. ”

Fighting for Beef Trade

Working to open more markets to U.S. beef continues to be a top priority for Senator Roberts as a member of the Senate Finance and Agriculture Committees. This week Sen. Roberts joined Sen. Johanns of Nebraska and others in calling on President Obama to address beef trade during his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister, Naoto Kan.

In the letter to President Obama, the Senators wrote: “As you know, Japan closed its market to U.S. beef in December of 2003, after the discovery of one cow infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in the United States. At that time, Japan was the largest export market for U.S. beef, valued at $1.4 billion. Since then, Japan has had restrictions in place on U.S. beef imports, and currently only allows imports of beef from cattle aged 20 months and younger. These restrictions are not based on sound science nor are they consistent with international guidelines. The United States has spent years putting in place an effective system of interlocking safeguards that has led to the virtual elimination of BSE in our country. Because of these efforts, the U.S. has been classified as a controlled risk country by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), which indicates that U.S. beef products are completely safe for export and consumption. We encourage you to discuss U.S.-Japan beef trade with the Prime Minister. At the very least, Japan should agree to immediately relax its age restrictions to 30 months as an interim step on a pathway that would amend its import protocol to be consistent with OIE guidelines, and reopen its market to all U.S. beef products, regardless of age or boneless status.”

Aviation WTO Findings

Senator Roberts continues to closely follow the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) case against U.S. aviation. In March, the WTO found much of the European Union’s (EU) launch aid to be illegal, placing the U.S. aviation industry at a competitive disadvantage. Following a briefing by the office of the U.S. Trade Representative, on the confidential findings of this case alleging unfair supports to U.S. commercial aviation industry, Sen. Roberts stated, “Despite the claims by critics, the U.S. and the Boeing Company have prevailed on a majority of the findings. Attempts to compare this interim decision with the final ruling against the EU is like comparing apples to oranges, and in this case, their orange is a lot bigger than our apple. As details of the findings become public, we can draw an accurate comparison between the billions in illegal launch aid provided by the EU to Airbus and the alleged supports by the U.S. to the Boeing Company.”

Roberts is a member of the Senate Finance Committee which has jurisdiction on trade matters. Roberts continues his long fight to replace the nation’s aging tanker fleet to give men and women in uniform the safest and best plane to complete their mission. A final decision from the Air Force on the tanker competition is expected this November.

To follow Senator Roberts on Twitter: http://twitter.com/SenPatRoberts , on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SenPatRoberts , and to watch Senator Roberts on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/SenPatRoberts .

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