Representative Ron Estes

.Dear Friend,

Last week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) officially finalized the removal of the lesser prairie-chicken from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife.

This is a massive win for common sense, for Kansas, for the hardworking farmers and ranchers who have been the true stewards of our land for generations, the energy producers, and our community partners.

For too long, D.C. bureaucrats attempted to weaponize the Endangered Species Act to implement a hostile land grab, ignoring the stable population data and the successful voluntary conservation efforts already in place.

By officially stripping these overreaching protections, we are liberating Kansans from an unscientific and burdensome mandate that threatened our local economies and American energy independence.

I have fought this battle in Congress since I came into office, and I am proud to see the Trump administration follow through on restoring local control and protecting private property rights. We have proven that we can protect our natural resources without the heavy hand of the federal government crushing the very people who feed and fuel this country.

Sincerely,

Member of Congress

.I was honored to join the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce to discuss the Working Families Tax Cuts and how my role in crafting the legislation included advocating for key provisions that give tax relief to small business owners, innovators and families.

It was an honor to join you to share how I am fighting for you in Congress. Thank you for inviting me to join!

Recently, I had the opportunity to tour the Mars plant in Topeka, where I got a behind-the-scenes look at the candy-making process.

The dedication of these employees and the investment Mars continues to make in Kansas reflects how essential it is to our local economy and workforce. Thank you for having me!

Additionally, I paid a visit to LTC’s new helmet production facility, where I learned about the production process for their new advanced combat helmets. This state-of-the-art facility builds on LTC’s leadership in personal and vehicle protection, bringing high-skill manufacturing jobs to Wichita and strengthening the state’s growing defense and aerospace economy.

These advanced combat helmets, along with vehicle armor and body protective armor, will help keep our service members safe during deployments and training. They even provided me with a ceremonial plate that reads, “Thank you, Congressman Estes, for your dedicated support of Kansas-made products that protect America’s warfighter.” Thank you, LTC, for what you do to protect our men and women in uniform!

I was pleased to visit with IdeaTek following the opening of their office in Wichita and their installation of fiber in the Wichita area.

Headquartered in Buhler and founded as a high school project by a Kansas teen, IdeaTek is a broadband service provider with the mission of “fighting for Internet Freedom.” They use a unique and innovative approach to bridge the broadband gap in rural communities. Thus far, they have built over 7,500 miles of fiber throughout Kansas, addressing the need to provide high-speed internet to rural parts of our state.

.I am forever grateful to our brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces who embody the strength of our nation. The news over the weekend regarding Iran is nothing more than a consequence of the choices that the Iranian regime has made as a failed nation.

For Americans overseas in the Middle East who are trying to return, please see the State Department's website for reminders. If you have questions, my office is ready to assist.

.Did you know that Spanish explorers traversed our state centuries ago? In 1541, Francisco Vazquez de Coronado and his crew were seeking the legendary “Seven Cities of Cibola,” of which Quivira was rumoured to be one. Quivira was found to be a Wichita Indian community, with no great wealth or gold in sight, but the Spanish claimed it nonetheless for the Spanish crown. European explorers did not visit the land again until the French fur traders arrived nearly two centuries later. Today, you can visit a bluff near Lindsborg where it is said that Vasquez de Coronado observed the prairie. Now known as Coronado Heights, the area offers a beautiful outlook over the Kansas plains and includes a “castle” built in 1936.