Hello:

First, let me say -- I'm glad the government is open for business today. I opposed a government shutdown. The Friday night agreement allows us to continue a path of fiscal responsibility by ensuring $38.5 billion in spending cuts. This is a good first step in the right direction, but we have much more to do to strengthen and stabilize our economy for future generations. This debate will continue, and I will continue to fight to cut wasteful spending.

Balanced Budget

As part of this effort, I joined with many of my Republican colleagues to unveil a consensus Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution with the goal of dramatically cutting the national debt that now sits at more than $14 trillion.

It is time to stop this kind of reckless spending and restore some fiscal sanity to our country. If Congress is serious about cutting our ballooning deficit, then we must pass a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution.

Regulation Reform

My push for regulation reform continued this week with a speech on the Senate floor focused on financial regulations that are unmanageable, costly and divert resources community banks could be using to grow their businesses and serve customers.

The financial services sector of our economy is the focus of substantial regulation. We all support common sense financial regulations. However, it is important that we not place undue burdens on our financial institutions, especially our community banks, which are the backbone of Main Street and help finance the economic growth in our communities. You can click here to view my speech.

This speech is the fourth in a series of floor speeches I have given highlighting federal agricultural, environmental, health and financial regulations that damage different sectors of the economy. Its part of my efforts to ensure the Obama administration carries out the president’s executive order to review regulations harmful to the economy. I introduced a bill earlier this year to ensure that happens.

Gas Prices

At a recent Senate Agriculture Committee hearing, we took a look at the rising gas prices and the role new rules and innovative farming can play in lowering energy costs.

Fellow Kansan Stanley Townsend was one of the hearing's witnesses. Stan is a farmer from Weskan, Kansas whose family has operated farm ground since 1875. You can click here to listen to his testimony.

Whether it’s powering our homes, fueling farm equipment or filling up our cars at the pump, the price of energy directly impacts costs of goods and operating expenses for American producers. U.S. producers like Stan and his family contribute to global stability by supplying our nation and others with the low cost – high quality food and fiber necessary to survive.

Global hunger leads to political instability. Many times that instability occurs in areas of the world from which we rely upon for oil production. The more the U.S. farmer and rancher can do to reduce global hunger, the less pain at the pump we’ll all feel. You can click here to listen to my remarks at the hearing.

1099 Repeal

Here's a victory we can celebrate -- the Senate passed a bill that repeals the 1099 reporting requirement for small businesses included in the new health care law, eliminating a time-wasting mandate that would have unduly burdened our country’s small businesses. It now goes to the presiden't desk for his signature.

I have heard from business owners throughout Kansas who are worried about the cost and compliance burden of the new 1099 requirement. This repeal is a common sense fix to relieve our small businesses from further bureaucratic red tape, and will help support our nation’s job creators at a time we need it the most.

While we have won the battle over this provision, this is just the first step in dismantling Obamacare and overhauling the entire system to make it better and more affordable for Kansans and all Americans.

Visit from Kansas Veterans

It's always an honor and privilege to meet with Kansans visiting Washington, D.C. More than twenty Kansas veterans were at the Iwo Jima Memorial on an Honor Flight trip with Coffee County high school students. I enjoyed visiting with these young people and veterans and exchanging stories of our service days. It was good to have them in our nation’s capital for a few days. Semper Fi.

Click here to watch a video of my visit with them or click on the video below.

Congratulations to Wichita State University

I did a little bragging on behalf of our state on the Senate floor last week, where I offered an official congratulations to the Wichita State University Shockers on winning the 2011 Men’s National Invitation Tournament Championship in New York City. In claiming the championship trophy, Wichita State set the school record with 29 victories in a season. Click here to listen to me honoring them on the Senate floor or click on the video below. Congratulations!

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 www.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 my Facebook and Twitter sites.

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