WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Alma Adams, D-North Carolina, chairman of the House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, issued the following opening statement as part of a virtual hearing entitled "Clearing the Air: Science-Based Strategies to Protect Workers from COVID-19 Infections" on March 11, 2021: * * * I want to welcome everyone to the first hearing of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee in the 117th Congress. Today, we will discuss the imperative to protect worke  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- The House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials issued the following testimony by Caren Kraska, president and chairman of the Arkansas and Missouri Railroad, on behalf of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, as part of a hybrid hearing entitled "Full Steam Ahead for Rail: Why Rail is More Relevant Than Ever for Economic and Environmental Progress" on March 10, 2021: * * * I am Caren Kraska,   more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, issued the following news release: Representative Sharice Davids applauded House passage of two critical bills, H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446, to prevent gun violence in our communities and help save lives. H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021, would expand background checks to make them universal, helping to keep guns out of the hands of people who may be a danger to themselves or others. H.R. 1146, the Enhanced Background Checks A  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, issued the following news release: Representative Sharice Davids voted to pass the American Rescue Plan, an urgently needed package that will combat the coronavirus and economic crisis and get relief to Kansans. The bill, which the Senate passed last week with minor changes, will now go to President Biden's desk for his signature. "The coronavirus pandemic is continuing to destroy lives and livelihoods across the country. While not a perfe  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kansas, issued the following remarks on March 11, 2021: Today Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) congratulated the Wichita State University Men's Basketball team on their regular season conference championship and wished them luck as they begin postseason play this weekend. Click here (https://youtu.be/b6b4zjTwpag) to watch the video and click here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Gz2zPARI4hRUI1HGaycgPGO7FHB5oYeZ/view?usp=sharing) to download the video. Remar  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kansas, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: Today Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) voted against two bills that would undermine fundamental rights guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment. "For more than two centuries, Americans have championed the guaranteed liberties in the Bill of Rights and subsequent constitutional amendments, knowing that each one plays a significant role in keeping our country safe and free," said Rep. Es  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Tracey Mann, R-Kansas, issued the following news release: Representative Tracey Mann and 18 original cosponsors introduced the Home Defense and Competitive Shooting Act of 2021. "The right to bear arms granted to Americans under the U.S. Constitution is foundational to our country" said Rep. Mann (KS-01). "Our Constitutional rights make America exceptional, and I will stand up against any efforts to diminish or weaken them. I am eager to join my colleagues in intro  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kansas, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: Today Reps. Ron Estes, Tracey Mann and Jake LaTurner sent a letter to Kansas Governor Laura Kelly following H.R. 1319 becoming law. "Following extreme shutdowns that left families, small businesses and communities suffering economic losses, Kansas was hit with frigid temperatures and exorbitant energy bills," said Rep. Estes. "However, state revenues have increased during this time, allowing   more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Tracey Mann, R-Kansas, issued the following news release: Representatives Tracey Mann (KS-01), Ron Estes (KS-04), and Jake LaTurner (KS-02) introduced H.Res.205, a resolution honoring the life of Father Emil J. Kapaun. "I was pleased to learn that Chaplain Kapaun's remains were identified as part of the ongoing Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency's Korean War Disinterment Project," said Rep. Mann. "I am thankful his family and Kansas can have closure and continue to   more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Jerry Moran (Kan.), along with U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (Mo.), Sam Graves (Mo.), and Sharice Davids (Kan.), applauded the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' (USCIS) announcement that it would restore 500 positions that had been eliminated due to financial constraints and the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement comes after a year-long   more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, issued the following news release: Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) reintroduced the Global Trade Accountability Act Wednesday, a bill that would subject unilateral actions by the president to increase trade barriers to congressional approval. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) joined as cosponsors of the bill. "Congress has ceded far too much of its lawmaking power to the executive branch, including the power to unilaterally raise tarif  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. joined dozens of his Senate colleagues to introduce legislation to permanently repeal the federal estate tax, more commonly known as the death tax. The Death Tax Repeal Act of 2021, would finally end this purely punitive tax that has the potential to hit family-run farms, ranches, and businesses as the result of the owner's death. "There is a saying in Kansas that farmers  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. pressed witnesses during a Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources hearing about the energy and financial issues that occurred during the deep freeze across Kansas last month. Senator Marshall requested the hearing in a letter to Chairman Joe Manchin and Ranking Member John Barrasso in February. Additionally, last month, Senator Marshall and Repres  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: The U.S. Senate last night passed the Ensuring Innovation Act, which was introduced by U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, M.D., Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), and Tina Smith (D-MN) last month to help lower prescription drug prices. The legislation will provide clarity for drug exclusivity to prevent awarding market exclusivity to products that do not represent true innovation and unduly delay chea  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) - ranking member and chairman of the Senate Veteran's Affairs Committee - along with Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) today introduced legislation to honor the groundbreaking service of the women who operated switchboards connecting communications for the American and French forces on the front lines of Wo  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) introduced the bipartisan Allergy Testing Access Act of 2021. By removing current barriers associated with coverage, this legislation would expand access to allergy testing and ensure proper diagnoses of allergies for patients, including the elderly, young children and individuals in rur  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), both members of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee's Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations, and Innovation, released the following statements applauding Senate passage of their bipartisan resolution honoring women in the aviation industry. The resolution celebrates America's aviation workforce, comm  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Jake LaTurner, R-Kansas, issued the following statement: * * * U.S. Representative Jake LaTurner released the following statement after voting against H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446: "I will always protect and safeguard Kansans' Second Amendment rights. Our Founding Fathers understood the vital importance of firearms to ensure the individual right of all Americans to defend themselves and their property, and accordingly enshrined this essential freedom in the Bill of Rights  more