WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts today concluded a series of meetings with Cabinet nominees for the incoming Administration to convey the concerns of Kansans with regard to the economy, agriculture, health care and education.

In advance of confirmation hearings, Senator Roberts met with the following nominees:

Senator Roberts is a member of the Senate Health, Education Labor and Pensions (HELP)Committee which will review Daschle’s nomination, and is a member of the Senate Finance Committee which has jurisdiction on Medicare and SCHIP, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and will consider the nomination. 

Senator Roberts said, "Senator Daschle and I have worked on many issues before the Senate from Agriculture to Health Care and I appreciate his past bipartisanship. He is from South Dakota and understands the Midwest and many of the critical issues that our rural communities face - access to quality and affordable health care." Roberts also urged him that we must not play partisan politics in regards to home oxygen and cuts to the home oxygen providers and reminded him of the larger problem regarding Medicare reimbursement to Medicare providers in Kansas.

A strong supporter of SCHIP, which provides health care coverage for low-income children, Roberts urged Daschle to push for the passage of this compromise bill to renew and improve SCHIP.

Senator Roberts, a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee discussed with Governor Vilsack the value of production agriculture and the importance of the work done by Kansas farmers and ranchers to feed not only our nation but an ever growing global economy.

Roberts said, "we had an open discussion about crop insurance, livestock issues, trade and rural development and I look forward to working with the Governor should his nomination be approved."

Senator Roberts invited Duncan to Kansas to visit schools in rural areas and expressed the need to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Senator Roberts expressed that one of his main objectives in renewing No Child Left Behind is to make it more flexible in assessing yearly progress.

Among the issues Senator Roberts discussed with Geithner were steps that can been taken to revitalize the economy, along with Senator Roberts’ concerns about the performance of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act passed last year, which the Senator opposed. Senator Roberts also stressed the need for the new administration to develop meaningful, and longer-term, tax relief for families and businesses.

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