Column: Successes of the 114th Congress

Statement

In preparing to hit the ground running in the next Congress with a Republican majority and a Republican president, I took the time to reflect on the successes of the 114th Congress and where we can go from here. We were able to accomplish real change for Kansans and hardworking Americans -- and that will only continue in 2017. Here's a quick recap:

First, we settled a very contentious debate on food labeling with a bipartisan compromise to require food manufacturers to disclose more information about the foods we eat. At the same time, we protected the use of agriculture biotechnology, a critical science that helps producers meet the rising demand for food, keeps food affordable and uses less resources.

Second, we ran out the clock on the president's misguided intention to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay and send the terrorists held there to the mainland at a prison like Ft. Leavenworth's U.S. Disciplinary Barracks. I have fought this campaign promise since his first executive order in 2009, and this year, we again passed bipartisan legislation to block this move. I have used every tool available to me to ensure terrorists would not be moved to the heart of an American community and will continue to do so.

Third, we corrected a longstanding lack of oversight on underground natural gas storage facilities. We passed a bill, now law, to ensure these sights are inspected to prevent natural gas leaks that caused major explosions like those that killed two Kansans in Hutchinson in 2001. Kansas' tragedy ultimately led the way for national change.

In agriculture, we repealed Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) preventing billions in tariffs from being levied on U.S. goods by Canada and Mexico. That's a huge victory for farmers and ranchers.

And, we saw the completion of the South Lawrence Trafficway, a project with federal, state and local efforts constructed, which I helped begin, to allow for safer and more efficient transportation from Johnson County to Manhattan -- spurring development along the state's high-tech corridor.

Let me offer my thanks to all the Kansans who came out to my town hall meetings and stakeholder meetings this year. I have hosted what I like to call "industry roundtables," where leaders in our economic sectors like healthcare, energy, communications, agriculture and education come together and advise me on their concerns, success and needs. Kansas leaders are helping me shape national policy.

I also had the privilege of interviewing veterans from around Kansas to include their stories in the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project, where they will be preserved for future generations of Americans. It was an honor to hear their stories of patriotism and valor.

As the Chairman of the Eisenhower Memorial Commission, I continue working to build a fitting tribute to Kansas's favorite son President and General Dwight David Eisenhower on the National Mall. I am pleased to report we have a design approved by the Eisenhower family, and with the help of another Kansas favorite son, Senator Bob Dole, we are raising the funds to build it.

Despite the drama of this election year, the Republican Senate was hard at work passing bipartisan legislation to combat the Zika virus, improve 21st Century Cures, address the opioid crisis, improve airport security and aviation safety, impose tighter sanctions on North Korea and extend them for Iran. All of which have now been signed into law.

In addition, in the first part of this 114th Congress, we overhauled the nation's highway and transit programs. We passed the first education reform since 2001 -- which included my legislation to stop the federal government from forcing Common Core on states. We made commonsense reforms to the Veterans Administration and provided critical tax relief. We addressed Social Security Disability insurance, and we put an end to the Medicare "Doc-Fix" without tax hikes to pay for it.

And that's just to start. Next year we start work on the Farm Bill in my committee. We will repeal and replace Obamacare. And hopefully we will have meaningful tax reform to help our economy and put people back to work. I look forward to another aggressive agenda, and working hard on behalf of Kansas to get it done.

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