Newsletter Archive
January Roberts Report
Jan 23 2008
Dodge City Events
Senator Roberts attended several events in Dodge City last weekend including the Tournament of Champions, the oldest continuous boy’s high school basketball tournament West of the Mississippi. He also addressed the Dodge City Chamber of Commerce’s legislative coffee and spoke at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Breakfast at Dodge City High School. In addition, Senator Roberts was named an honorary marshal of Dodge City during a ceremony at the Boot Hill Museum.
Funding for Kansas Projects
In late December, Congress passed and the president signed a critical spending bill, which Senator Roberts supported. He personally secured over $59.2 million in funding for important projects across Kansas including: funding for Johnson County Emergency Communications, for the University of Kansas’s biodiversity research center, for a community child care facility for small businesses in Manhattan, for Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR), for the Atchison Pedestrian Mall Redevelopment, for the United Methodist Youthville in Dodge City, for Wyandotte County Government Bus Replacement and many more. For a complete list of projects, please visit Senator Roberts’ website at https://www.roberts.senate.gov .
Also included in this Omnibus bill was an important provision to assist the city of Greensburg in its continued tornado recovery. There were parameters of a Department of Labor grant which would not allow funds to be used to hire public sector employees such as administrators, zoning and planning officials and inspectors. Due to the small size of local government in the affected areas, it was apparent to state and Greensburg officials that it would be necessary to hire public employees to assist in the reconstruction. Senator Roberts worked with the entire Kansas Congressional delegation and Governor Sebelius to get this important waiver for Greensburg.
Economic Stimulus
One of Senator Roberts’ first priorities in this new year, is to pass a bipartisan economic stimulus bill in the Senate to help revive the economy. Congress is working with the president to include assistance to businesses, with special assistance to small businesses, to help them make investments more quickly so they can expand and continue to create jobs. This stimulus bill is still in the early stages, but may include a tax rebate to individuals and families to put more money into the pockets of Kansas consumers. Senator Roberts wants this legislation to benefit Kansans who need it the most, to help revive the economy by encouraging businesses to make investments, grow, create jobs and does not harm long-term economic growth.
New Troops To Ft. Riley
Senator Roberts was pleased to announce the Army’s decision to station an Engineering Battalion at Fort Riley as part of the services’ “Grow the Force” initiative. This new battalion and additions to other units at Fort Riley will bring over 1,300 soldiers to Fort Riley in the coming years. The Engineering Battalion will be responsible for maintaining and resetting valuable equipment as it returns from Iraq and Afghanistan. In October, Roberts and the entire Kansas Congressional delegation asked the Army Chief of Staff, General George Casey, for additional troops to be hosted at Fort Riley and in November, Sen. Roberts met with Army Secretary Pete Geren, to recommend the Army place additional troops at Fort Riley as part of “Grow the Force.” Senator Roberts is a former Marine and an outspoken advocate of Kansas’s military installations and the surrounding communities.
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Senator Roberts attended several events in Dodge City last weekend including the Tournament of Champions, the oldest continuous boy’s high school basketball tournament West of the Mississippi. He also addressed the Dodge City Chamber of Commerce’s legislative coffee and spoke at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Breakfast at Dodge City High School. In addition, Senator Roberts was named an honorary marshal of Dodge City during a ceremony at the Boot Hill Museum.
Funding for Kansas Projects
In late December, Congress passed and the president signed a critical spending bill, which Senator Roberts supported. He personally secured over $59.2 million in funding for important projects across Kansas including: funding for Johnson County Emergency Communications, for the University of Kansas’s biodiversity research center, for a community child care facility for small businesses in Manhattan, for Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR), for the Atchison Pedestrian Mall Redevelopment, for the United Methodist Youthville in Dodge City, for Wyandotte County Government Bus Replacement and many more. For a complete list of projects, please visit Senator Roberts’ website at https://www.roberts.senate.gov .
Also included in this Omnibus bill was an important provision to assist the city of Greensburg in its continued tornado recovery. There were parameters of a Department of Labor grant which would not allow funds to be used to hire public sector employees such as administrators, zoning and planning officials and inspectors. Due to the small size of local government in the affected areas, it was apparent to state and Greensburg officials that it would be necessary to hire public employees to assist in the reconstruction. Senator Roberts worked with the entire Kansas Congressional delegation and Governor Sebelius to get this important waiver for Greensburg.
Economic Stimulus
One of Senator Roberts’ first priorities in this new year, is to pass a bipartisan economic stimulus bill in the Senate to help revive the economy. Congress is working with the president to include assistance to businesses, with special assistance to small businesses, to help them make investments more quickly so they can expand and continue to create jobs. This stimulus bill is still in the early stages, but may include a tax rebate to individuals and families to put more money into the pockets of Kansas consumers. Senator Roberts wants this legislation to benefit Kansans who need it the most, to help revive the economy by encouraging businesses to make investments, grow, create jobs and does not harm long-term economic growth.
New Troops To Ft. Riley
Senator Roberts was pleased to announce the Army’s decision to station an Engineering Battalion at Fort Riley as part of the services’ “Grow the Force” initiative. This new battalion and additions to other units at Fort Riley will bring over 1,300 soldiers to Fort Riley in the coming years. The Engineering Battalion will be responsible for maintaining and resetting valuable equipment as it returns from Iraq and Afghanistan. In October, Roberts and the entire Kansas Congressional delegation asked the Army Chief of Staff, General George Casey, for additional troops to be hosted at Fort Riley and in November, Sen. Roberts met with Army Secretary Pete Geren, to recommend the Army place additional troops at Fort Riley as part of “Grow the Force.” Senator Roberts is a former Marine and an outspoken advocate of Kansas’s military installations and the surrounding communities.
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