Hello,

It’s been a busy few weeks in Washington and Kansas. I’m pleased to fill you in on what I’ve been working on and what it means for Kansans.

NBAF

As the top Republican on the Senate Agriculture Committee, I took the opportunity to question U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on the importance of building a new National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan, Kansas, to protect the nation’s food supply and our national security.

He agreed construction of a new lab to replace the current Plum Island facility was vital. I was pleased to have the assurance of his support in working with the Department of Homeland Security in moving forward with this crucial facility. You can watch our exchange at an Agriculture Committee hearing here.

The evidence is clear that we need a cutting-edge biosecurity level 4 facility in this country. Kansas has won every competition, met every standard and proven its commitment to this project, and we'll do whatever it takes to fulfill this critical national security need.

Kansan Testifies Before Senate

I invited Prairie View farmer Bill Greving to testify before the Senate Agriculture Committee on Wednesday. He discussed production agriculture and bioenergy in rural America as a sorghum, wheat, corn and cattle farmer-stockman. It was good to have Bill and his wife Diana here. Determining the needs of our farmers, ranchers, and rural residents and how we can best serve those needs in the most effective and efficient manner is the primary goal of this committee.

Good News for Kansas Public Safety, Aviation, Agriculture

Good news from the Federal Communications Commission! This week, the FCC announced it had rejected a plan proposed by the company LightSquared to create a new wireless network that would have interfered with our GPS signals.

Any Kansan with a GPS in his or her car could have been affected by the interference this conflicting network would have posed. This decision is a particularly big win for public safety as well as precision agriculture, aviation and other industries critical to the Kansas economy that rely on seamless GPS communication.

I have worked with many Kansas companies and associations in this effort including Garmin, John Deere & Company, Case New Holland, FedEx, UPS, National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association, Caterpillar, Agricultural Retailers Association, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, among others.

While I remain committed to the continued expansion of broadband networks, there was simply too much at stake with this proposal that put our public and national security at risk. It would have been irresponsible to allow any network to interfere with a system so important to moving goods, defending our homeland and feeding the world.

Aviation in Kansas gets a Win

More good news from the Senate with final passage of the FAA Air Transportation, Modernization and Safety Improvement Act. This bill is critical to general aviation, which contributes $7.07 billion a year to the Kansas economy. We are truly the Air Capital of the World. President Obama signed the bill into law on Tuesday. I was honored to have worked so closely with our general aviation companies as their voice on the Senate Finance Committee to make this possible.

You can click here to listen to my floor speech when the bill passed the Senate.

Friends from Kansas

I’ve had a lot of Kansans stop by my D.C. office over the past few weeks. It is always nice to see them. And everyone is always welcome.

Brian Fields from Shawnee brought his daughter Mackinley to D.C. and stopped by to say hello

Kansas Grain Feed Association and the Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association

19 of KU’s interns came to my office for a visit

See You in Kansas

During the President’s Day Congressional work period, I’ll be spending my time at a number of events throughout Kansas, including a few Town Hall meetings to listen to the concerns of Kansans. I’d love to see you there.

Wednesday, February 22:

Senator Roberts to hold Jackson County Town Hall Meeting

10 to 11 a.m. – Hutchins Building, 407 New York Avenue, Holton

Senator Roberts to hold Brown County Town Hall Meeting

1 to 2 p.m. – Fisher Community Center, 201 East Iowa, Hiawatha

Senator Roberts to hold Marshall County Town Hall Meeting

3:15 to 4:15 p.m. – Marysville City Hall, 209 N 8th, Marysville

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.