Representative Ron Estes

.Dear Friend,

One of the primary concerns Americans had under the previous administration was the southern border and illegal immigration. Our country is a nation of immigrants and will continue to be one of the most welcoming countries in the world – many of us know the stories of our families who came to this country from all parts of the globe. Legal immigration is something that we can take pride in, and we should curb the flow of illegal immigration and drugs that have made every state a border state.

For years, Republicans have argued that we have many good laws already in place, but it’s up to the president to enforce them. The Biden-Harris administration chose not to enforce some laws, but the Trump administration has done so since day one. Because of that, we’ve already seen an immense drop in daily border encounters – down 93%. Additionally, ICE arrests of criminals have doubled. That’s removed dangerous criminals from streets across the country.

There’s still much work to be done, and it’s important for Congress to reinforce President Trump’s efforts with stronger laws, like the bipartisan Laken Riley Act that has already been passed and signed into law, to make sure that the travesty of the past four years of a porous border can’t happen again.

Sincerely,

Member of Congress

Headline: On the Air with Washington Watch

.On Friday I joined Washington Watch to discuss the budget reconciliation process that House and Senate Republicans are using to advance common sense policies that will benefit Americans, including securing our border, keeping taxes low for middle class families and workers, and reining in Washington’s reckless spending. We also chatted about President Trump’s first month back in office and my recent op-ed in the Washington Reporter.

You can watch my interview below.

.High school students in the 4th District can now submit artwork for consideration in the Congressional Art Competition, a nationwide contest for high school students sponsored by Members of the House of Representatives. Each year, I look forward to seeing the incredible artistic talent we have right here in the 4th District of Kansas.

Students have until Tuesday, April 1, to submit a piece for the competition, and the winning artwork will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year. More information and details on how to submit art can be found at estes.house.gov/art.

.With the 119th Congress in full swing, committee assignments have been finalized. While some were announced earlier this year, a final committee assignment was released this week. As I’ve mentioned previously, I’m honored to have been named Chair of the Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee and will continue serving on the Tax Subcommittee.

In addition to serving on Ways and Means, I will continue to serve on the Budget Committee and the Joint Economic Committee.

As Chair of the Social Security Subcommittee, I’m eager to examine ways to improve the Social Security Administration and provide better service to all Kansans and Americans. Americans deserve efficient and effective customer service from the Social Security Administration, and there are a lot of process issues that we need to address to make that happen.

However, the top priority for my colleagues and I on the Ways and Means Committee is ensuring that Kansans and Americans do not face a tax hike this year, which could happen if the 2017 Trump Tax Cuts expire. We’re working to preserve, protect and extend key provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act so that you can keep more of your hard-earned money and we can boost our economy.

.Did you know that the astronomer who discovered Pluto was from Kansas? Clyde Tombaugh identified Pluto as a planet in February 1930, 95 years ago. Born in Streator, Illinois, Tombaugh and his family moved to Burdett, Kansas, in his teen years and was just several years out of high school when he made the discovery. This occurred while working at Arizona’s Lowell Observatory, which hired him after he made several telescopes on his own at his Kansas family farm. At the time, Pluto was thought to be the ninth planet of our solar system. However, in 2006, the International Astronomical Union reclassified Pluto as a dwarf planet. After his discovery, Tombaugh returned to the Sunflower State to complete a bachelor’s and a master’s degree at the University of Kansas. Tombaugh made other discoveries during his career, including a comet, asteroids and galactic star clusters.