There’s a lot going on in Kansas, and it’s been great meeting with so many of you as I’ve travelled throughout the state this past month. I wanted to give you an update on where I’ve been, what I’ve been working on recently and what it means for Kansans:

Drought Tour

First up, I headed to Kingman and Reno counties for a tour of the drought-stricken farm land. Thanks goes to Chad Basinger, an alfalfa farmer from Pretty Prairie, for showing me and other local producers, the area and explaining what the devastation means for local farmers and our state. I was able to see firsthand the damage the drought has inflicted on crops. It gave good perspective on how we can best aid our farmers and ranchers. Joining us on the tour were dozens of other farmers and ranchers, as well as the state climatologist, and officials from the Water Office at the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

You can click here to view a recap of the windshield tour.

Farm Bill Field Hearing

We had a big day in Wichita on August 25. As Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I was honored to host a Farm Bill field hearing where we heard from producers representing every commodity throughout the state. It was very helpful to gain insight and suggestions from our Kansas farm organizations, commodity groups and individual producers right in the heart of farm country. Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) joined me for the hearing to learn firsthand of the challenges facing Kansas’ farmers, ranchers and rural communities.

Nearly 500 people attended the hearing, and I enjoyed meeting with many of them. As we put together the next Farm Bill, the information we gathered in Wichita will be critical to the committee’s work in drafting policies that provide producers and rural America with the tools necessary for success.

Post Office Closures

The Post Office is critical to doing business in a small town and is central to our way of life. Over the last several years, the Postal Service has come face-to-face with a daunting financial challenge, and that is having consequences in our state.

To deal with the impending crisis of a more than $10 billion net loss this year, the Postal Service is taking short-term measures as well as proposing a series of long-term reforms to keep it solvent. This summer, over 130 communities across Kansas were informed that their local post office may be under review to be closed. Community meetings are being held with post office officials and my staff is participating in these meetings to help ensure Kansans’ voices are heard. It’s important to note that closing Kansas post offices will not stave off default for the service because roughly 80 percent of its costs are driven by employee compensation and benefits.

There are multiple bills pending before the House and Senate that take varying approaches to long-term Postal Service reform. Rest assured that I will continue to speak out for the needs of Kansas communities as I work with my colleagues to find solutions to the significant funding challenges facing the Postal Service.

Creating Jobs

Last night, President Obama introduced his job plan to the nation. Unfortunately, a soaring campaign speech is not going to provide jobs for America. The real test as to whether his plan will receive bipartisan support will depend on sharing specifics and numbers. So far, the president hasn’t done that. We need to see specifics, especially how he intends to pay for this. Creating jobs doesn't have to cost our country a dime. Instead, we need to pass the pending trade agreements, reduce tax rates, and cut back the amount of regulations that are burdening our nation’s businesses and stifling growth and job creation. Those simple measures will do more for job stimulation than any other stimulus package the president will ever introduce.

Earlier this week, I joined several other Republican Senators in calling on President Obama to send us the trade agreements. The Senate is ready to approve tham and bring jobs to Kansas.

September 11 Anniversary

In some respects, it hardly seems possible that ten years have passed. And in others, it seems like a time long ago – when we, perhaps naively, believed that our oceans protected us from such unimaginable horrors.

The importance of this anniversary and the patriotism reflected all over the country reminds me of the small positives that rose out of the ashes that fell on New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania. At the moment in time, I can assure you – there were no Republicans or Democrats, no conservatives or liberals on Capitol Hill. There were just Americans – mothers, fathers, sons, daughters.

I remember the renewal of American spirit, patriotism, and most importantly, the unity this great country found in the days and months following the attacks. It was almost a renewed sense of what it meant to stand proud and tall as an American.

My heartfelt prayers are with the survivors of 9/11 and the victims’ families. It is not easy to move beyond a senseless tragedy, but it is necessary to keep the memory alive for those lost. I applaud this nation for its continued patronage for those lost on that terrible, terrible day. I am proud to see the unity created after that day remains with us a decade later.

You can click here to listen to my memories from that day.

State Fair

I’m looking forward to attending the State Fair in Hutchinson this weekend. I will be speaking with the Farm Bureau on Saturday morning and will be at my booth during the day. I hope you’ll stop by and say hi and check out some of the new features I’m offering there this year.

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