Representative Ron Estes

.Dear Friend,

It has now been nearly two weeks since the tragic plane crash in our nation’s capital that claimed the lives of 67 people, including several Kansans. While there are no words to express the grief we all feel, I’ve been so moved to see how our community has rallied together to care for those impacted by this unspeakable tragedy. Even though the accident may no longer be foremost in the headlines, our commitment to supporting the families and loved ones of those who perished has not changed. To that end, I offered remarks on the House floor last week before joining my colleagues in a moment of silence in honor of the souls who perished. You can watch those remarks and the moment of silence below.

Of course, part of our commitment to those impacted includes getting answers about what went wrong so we can work to ensure no accident like this happens again. I wanted to share a few updates regarding what we’ve learned in the last week.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been working in coordination to continue the salvage efforts for both the plane and the Black Hawk, and the wreckage for both are being transferred to secure locations for further investigation. The NTSB working groups investigating the crash continue to examine data from the accident, which is an arduous process as everything must be validated to make accurate determinations. The Army is also supporting the NTSB investigation, along with several other entities that are party to the investigation. I was able to meet with senior Army leadership last week to discuss how they are doing that.

As our community and nation mourn, I remain committed to supporting the families and friends impacted by this devastating event and will keep you posted on what we learn in the coming weeks.

Sincerely,

Member of Congress

.There’s been a lot of discussion and misinformation about the efforts to rein in government spending. To set the record straight and reiterate why it’s so important that we cut the waste that has been rampant in our federal government for decades, I penned an op-ed for the Washington Reporter.

In the op-ed, I wrote, “It shouldn’t be controversial to demand that federal bureaucracies be good stewards of your money. In fact, it should be outraging that some of the agencies have gotten away with this ludicrous spending for so long.”

Our nation is $36.2 trillion in debt, borrowing around $70,000 per second. With President Trump in the White House, we are finally doing what the American people have been pleading with us to do for a long time. As I noted in the op-ed, I’ve introduced legislation to cut spending, cosponsored legislation to balance the budget, supported common sense budgets that would balance in 10 years, and helped start a bipartisan group of lawmakers to tackle our debt crisis. Still, there haven’t been enough of my colleagues or the will from the White House to make changes until now.

Read my op-ed on the Washington Reporter here.

Headline: Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act

.The Sunflower State is blessed with numerous natural resources and beauty, including the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge where many Kansans love hunting and fishing. To ensure Kansans can enjoy these recreational activities using the most cost-effective, safe and readily available products on the market, I recently became a cosponsor of the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act. This legislation would bar the Secretary of Interior or Secretary of Agriculture from putting a blanket prohibition on lead ammo and tackle in National Wildlife Refuges or National Forests. However, it would allow for case-by-case limitations if there is a direct link between a decline in protected species and the use of lead ammo or tackle, and any case-by-case limitations would need to conform to existing state hunting laws as well. I'm proud to support this legislation to ensure Kansans can continue to enjoy all that our great state has to offer.

.Did you know there is a 16-foot-tall limestone monument in Greenwood County? Located in the Flint Hills, James Teter constructed the original Teter Rock as a pile of rocks in the late 1800s to direct travelers to the Cottonwood River. As Teterville began to expand, Teter Rock was disassembled and used for construction in the town. The town no longer exists, but in the 1950s, the current Teeter Rock was built to commemorate James Teter.