Celebrating America Back Home in Kansas
I hope you and your family enjoyed a wonderful Independence Day.  We have much for which to be grateful in these United States of America.  For me, I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to celebrate our nation's freedom back home in the 4th District.  We kicked off the holiday with a couple parades.  It was great to share in all patriotism on display in Haysville and Garden Plain!

 




241 Years Later: Still fighting for freedom
I penned the following op-ed for the July 5 issue of The Derby Informer:

In a letter written in 1777, John Adams declared “Posterity! You will never know, how much it cost the present generation, to preserve your freedom.”

Mr. Adams, you will never know how right you were.

Our grandchildren, and someday their children, may venture to learn what was at stake with the debates of today, but will inevitably fall short in understanding the full context of what occurred.

There is a lot riding on our current political battles. We face an army of bureaucrats in Washington who choose to ignore the laws passed by the peoples’ representatives, and a court system with biased judges who look to rewrite the Constitution. Americans are at risk of losing the option to freely choose their health care, while at the same time many politicians are trying to take away your right to own a firearm.

This isn’t something that Americans should take lightly.

Within the health care fight, I believe it is our duty in Washington to ensure that every American has the ability to seek and receive the highest quality of medical care that they so choose.

But the difference between Republicans and Democrats is that part about choice. Democrats believe that the best way to allot health care is to let government bureaucrats choose what services you should receive. The problem is that this will lower your quality of medical care, and limit your choices.

In Canada for instance, provinces ration care, meaning folks have to wait months for MRI’s, and months more for the treatment they need. There are limits to the number of procedures Canadians can receive in a year. Their provinces also are dangerously in debt due to the burden of their health care system.

This should not be surprising since a centrally planned government system is never the most efficient way to accomplish a task. Common sense should tell you that you don’t want to turn your hospital into the DMV.

As you reflect on this week, and the freedoms you enjoy, please join me in ensuring that we don’t pass a country devoid of liberty on to our children.



Summer Lunch with our Students
Summer is here and school is out, but many programs in our public schools function year-round, including school nutrition through the USDA Summer Food Service Program.  I enjoyed having lunch with students from Wichita Public Schools at the Edgemoor Recreation Center.  Here are some photos of our fun time together.  I attempted to trade my carrots for more pizza, but these kids are too smart!







Leading the Nation in Aviation Research
The Air Capital of the World didn't get its name by accident.  Wichita and the surrounding area has long been a leading powerhouse of general aviation and aerospace manufacturing, and that can't happen without pioneering research that leads to new discoveries, refined processes and breakthrough air technologies.  Last week, I was fortunate to be guided through a hands-on tour of the National Institute of Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University.  NIAR is known as the most capable university-based aviation research center in the United States, with good reason.  Thanks to the engineers, staff and students for hosting me.




 

Report to the Wichita Pachyderm Club
Special thanks to the Wichita Pachyderm Club for inviting me to give a report on my ongoing work in Washington on behalf of all of us in the 4th District of Kansas.  It was wonderful to see many friends, but also new faces as well.  Thanks to all those who engaged in the conversation and asked great questions, and to my wife, Susan, for the introduction at Friday's meeting.






Thoughtful Discussions on Health Care
Yesterday, I had the privilege of visiting with patients and staff at DaVita Dialysis Center in Derby to hear about the challenges and needs of those living with end stage renal disease (ESRD).  As Congress considers important public policy issues which impact health care in Kansas, these thoughtful discussions serve as a valuable resource for me as we all work together to improve outcomes and quality of life.








 
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