Agriculture Biotechnology Bill Signed into Law

I’m very pleased to announce that the president has signed into law my legislation to protect the use of agriculture biotechnology and to ensure consumers have greater access to food information. This is a victory for farmers, ranchers, sound science, and anyone who eats on a budget – and one of the most important votes for agriculture in the last 20 years.

We worked hard to ensure the marketplace works for everyone. I mean everyone. Our legislation allows farmers to continue using sound science to produce more food with fewer resources, gives flexibility to food manufacturers in disclosing information, and gives access to more food information that consumers demand.

The strong and unified support for our bill among over 1,000 agriculture groups proves that we put forward a solid solution to biotechnology disclosure, but most important, it shows what can be accomplished for farmers when agriculture speaks with one voice.

I am proud of this solution and the bipartisan example we have set for future agriculture policy discussions. Averting a confusing patchwork of state labeling mandates serves the American economy, farmers and ranchers, and consumers well.

I wrote more on this topic in the Wichita Eagle. Read that here. Or watch my floor speech below.

Preventing More Damage from Secretary Clinton's Dangerous Misuse of Classified Information

I was proud to join Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Senator Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) on the TRUST Act which would revoke the security clearance Secretary Clinton and her State Department colleagues after her willful and repeated mishandling of classified information. If any servicemember had handled classified information in this manner, they would have been reprimanded – if not dismissed from service – immediately. How can our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines be held accountable, but a presidential nominee and former Secretary of State not?

Continued Action against the President’s Reckless Plan to Transfer GITMO Terrorists to the U.S.

I'm proud to see Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt join the fight and take action against the administration's illegal plan to transfer Guantanamo Bay detainees to Ft. Leavenworth. I have long said that this attempt by the president to skirt the law to enact his agenda would end up before the courts, and I applaud AG Schmidt for fighting to assure Kansans that the administration won't pull any further stunts and move terrorists to our state.

Although I have received assurances from the administration that the clock has run out for the president to carry out his dangerous plan, that will not stop me from doing everything in my power to prevent a single GITMO detainee from coming to our communities.

Delisting of the Lesser Prairie Chicken

Last month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) formally removed the lesser prairie chicken (LPC) from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. However, the Obama Administration has not ruled out future attempts. I will continue to oppose a listing that burdens farmers, ranchers and oil and gas producers. Other than a little rain, I believe state and local plans to preserve the bird’s habitat are the best place to start.

USDA’s Rotten Egg Rule

I led a bipartisan group of 13 Senators in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), requesting additional information regarding the Agency’s proposed rule on revised organic livestock and poultry production standards. The proposed rule raises significant concerns regarding the impact on current organic poultry and egg producers as well as access and price for organic consumers. Further, proposed changes to outdoor access standards could have a detrimental impact to both animal health and food safety.

Watch the video below for more information on this harmful rule.

The Veterans History Project

Calling all veterans! My office will be hosting an opportunity for veterans to chronical their recollections of service in a 30-minute interview to be preserved by the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project. I will be in Lawrence at the Dole Center to interview veterans. If you’re interested in participating, click here.

To kick off this project, I sat down with Senator Bob Dole to hear his stories of service for this important project, and I encourage veterans of across all branches of service to share theirs too.

Upcoming Town Hall Meetings

I look forward to visiting with Kansans at town hall meetings across the state. We will be holding meetings in Jefferson, Jackson, and Doniphan counties on August 10 and 11, among many other stops. Stay tuned for more information – I hope you’ll be able to join!

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

You can visit my website for more information on what’s happening in Washington, D.C., and Kansas. You can also stay updated on all these happenings on my Facebook and Twitter sites.