Progress on the Eisenhower Memorial

The National Memorial dedicated to Kansas’ favorite son, President and General Dwight D. Eisenhower, is moving forward! Watch this video on the latest progress.

Improving Access to Rural Health Care

Our rural communities face unique needs and often immense hurdles in regards to continuing to provide top-notch care. That’s why I introduced legislation called the R-HoPE Act to improve rural health care by strengthening the rural health delivery system and providing relief to hospitals and other providers serving rural Americans. The R-HoPE Act recognizes that rural health care providers have very different needs than their urban counterparts and that health care is not one size fits all.
 

Day of the Deployed

I’m proud to have helped introduce a resolution to establish October 26 as Day of the Deployed. I applaud every soldier, sailor, airman, and Marine who has volunteered to serve this nation. I am pleased we can designate this special day to honor and pay tribute to those fighting overseas. Take a special moment tomorrow to recognize those deployed, away from their loved ones at home and in harm’s way.

Share this graphic to show your support for our men and women in uniform!

Investigating the administration’s illegal use of funds to survey GITMO Sites

By filing suit against the Obama administration, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt confirmed that the Department of Defense spent funds to survey Ft. Leavenworth as a potential relocation site for the terrorists held at Guantanamo Bay. This spending is specifically prohibited in the National Defense Authorization Act signed into law by President Obama. It confirms what I have been saying all along, that the administration violated the law in its relentless pursuit to fulfill a campaign promise and close Guantanamo Bay before the end of President Obama’s term. Plainly stated, this is unacceptable. I sent a letter with Senators Tim Scott and Cory Gardner inquiring if this money also violated the Antideficiency Act which prohibits such expenditures. We strongly support the Kansas lawsuit and urge our states to continue pursuing legal recourse.

Around Kansas

It has been a great month around Kansas – with stops at Bimbo Bakery in Topeka, Associated Wholesale Grocers in Kansas City, a roundtable with the Kansas Hospital Association, lunch with the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, a tour of Wichita State’s new Innovation Campus, and several others I’d like to highlight below.

Ft. Riley Hospital

It was a pleasure to attend the ribbon cutting of the Irwin Army Community Hospital at Ft. Riley, which opened this month after many years of effort. Now our young men and women in uniform, their families, and veterans in the community will have a state-of-the-art medical facility to meet their medical needs. It is truly a “wow” facility. Congratulations, Ft. Riley!

Broadband Roundtable

I was honored to be joined by FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai for a roundtable discussion in Allen with Kansas rural telecom carriers to discuss the importance of broadband to rural communities and how to improve connectivity in the next Farm Bill. We also toured a fiber-connected feedlot, 2i Feeders, and heard how broadband is revolutionizing production agriculture. We must work to ensure our communities and producers have sufficient access to broadband.

Spirit Celebration

I was glad to join Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita to celebrate the 500th delivery of key components to Boeing for the 787 Dreamliner. Spirit builds the 787 forward fuselage and engine pylons in Wichita and has been delivering these assemblies and components to the 787 program since 2007. Thanks to CEO Tom Gentile for the opportunity to congratulate our highly skilled aviation workers in Wichita.

KU Alzheimer’s Disease Center

I joined Senator Jerry Moran and Congressman Kevin Yoder to celebrate University of Kansas Medical Center Alzheimer's Disease Center's national designation renewal as one of only 31 centers in the nation. We are fortunate to have a center that does such important work to fight this terrible disease.

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 my YouTube page. 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 my Facebook and Twitter sites.