Representative Ron Estes

.The Ways and Means Committee held a legislative markup last Wednesday where we considered legislation about health care, tax administration, and more.

The last thing anybody wants to find out is that someone stole their identity and filed a tax return under their name, which is why I introduced legislation to prevent that from happening. The bipartisan Electronic Filing Identification Numbers (EFIN) verification, which I introduced recently, passed the committee 40-0. The legislation helps prevent the submission of fraudulent IRS returns before they are filed by verifying that EFINs are active and authorized in the system before e-file functionality is enabled.

You can watch my remarks about the EFIN legislation here or below.

We also marked up the Digital Asset Tax Certainty Act, H.R. 10357, which sets up the rules of the road for digital assets taxes and provides certainty, consistency and simplicity that the industry needs.

You can watch my remarks in support of H.R. 10357 here or below.

.Last week we celebrated National Aerospace Week. Wichita and south central Kansas have been the Air Capital of the World for nearly 100 years. Today, aerospace supports more than 100,000 jobs in Kansas and last year, the industry added over $20 billion to our state's economy.

Thank you to the men and women on production lines in Wichita and shop floors in small towns across Kansas who keep American aerospace at the forefront of innovation and safety.

As the co-chairman of the House Aerospace Caucus, I submitted remarks to the Congressional Record highlighting how aerospace is woven into Kansas’ past, present and future.

.At the Kansas State Fair, I enjoyed speaking at the Kansas Farm Bureau Ag Leadership Breakfast. I shared the latest federal legislative updates, including the status of the Farm Bill and how farm provisions in the Working Families Tax Cuts are benefiting ag producers in the state. I also thanked our farmers and ranchers for their hard work, and I was able to enjoy some time at the fairgrounds.

It was great to visit the Comanche County Hospital and see how the Rural Health Transformation Program, established by the Working Families Tax Cuts, is making a positive impact in the community. I had the opportunity to see the work on the hospital’s new physical therapy facility, visit the restored Chief Theater – a gem here in south central Kansas, and chat with local residents about the community and what’s going on in our nation’s capital.

Local pharmacies like Irwin-Potter Drug in Anthony are a critical part of our rural communities. It was great to visit with Sloane Freeman and hear how the pharmacies she and her husband own contribute to the small towns throughout the Sunflower State as well as the challenges they face. We talked about legislation that impacts small pharmacies and the work we’re doing to lower prescription drug prices for Kansans.

In Medicine Lodge, I met with local law enforcement to thank them for the sacrifices they make to keep Barber County safe. We discussed how Kansas’ overall crime rate has hit a historic 57-year low because of the hard work of local police departments. It was great to be joined by the Medicine Lodge mayor and city administrator as we discussed what’s happening in this part of our state.

It was great to join the Kansas Independent Oil & Gas Association for their federal panel discussion earlier this year, alongside Congressman Derek Schmidt. We talked about the most important issues facing the energy industry and how the Working Families Tax Cuts provide certainty for small and independent oil producers. The legislation made many provisions permanent, including Section 199A, which establishes a more predictable framework for federal oil and gas development. I appreciate all they do to keep Kansas energy flowing and rural communities strong.

View online at https://estes.house.gov/news/email/.

.Every year, I look forward to nominating young Kansans from the 4th District to serve in a U.S. Service Academy. Young men and women who receive a congressional appointment to serve at the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy commit to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduating. They also receive a full-ride scholarship and a world-class education. The deadline to apply is Oct. 1, and more information can be found at estes.house.gov/service.