Hiawatha World - Four months proudly serving the 2nd District

Op-Ed

By Rep. Jacob LaTurner:

May 3rd marked four months since I was sworn in to serve as the proud Representative for Kansas' 2nd Congressional District. I pledged I would always put my constituents first and to always honor my Contract with Kansas -- I have kept my promises. In the first four months on the job, I have fought hard every day to defend Kansans' conservative values and push back against the Democrats' radical agenda.

In the district, my staff and I are working to meet the needs of all my constituents. I pledged whether you voted for me or not, I would always be a constituent-first Congressman, and I am fulfilling that important commitment. Since swearing in, I have sent more than 10,500 pieces of constituent correspondence in response to questions ranging from legislative issues to helping deal with federal agencies. Additionally, my staff has answered more than 1,700 constituent phone calls and provided summaries of those calls to me, ensuring I am always attentive to the needs of the men and women of the 2nd District. We have also solved more than 800 cases for constituents ranging from problems receiving Social Security benefits to issues with work permits. Guaranteeing my constituents receive the best possible representation and providing constituent services is my number one priority and some of the most rewarding work I do as a member of Congress.

It has been very important to me to be innovative to ensure we are delivering the highest-quality constituent services possible. For the last three months, we have operated an unprecedented mobile office hours schedule to help meet the needs of constituents across Kansas' 2nd District. These mobile hours increase accessibility and help deliver on the important work our office is doing. We are working to ensure high-quality constituent services for everyone, regardless of where you live or your political affiliation. As of May 1st, we have completed 81 Mobile Office Hour events in 40 cities and 25 counties. My main goal is for our office to be a great resource to the community. My staff and I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you soon at future Mobile Office Hour events in the months ahead.

In Washington, I am proud to be one ofthe few freshman members of Congress who was selected to serve on three committees. I am honored to serve on the Homeland Security Committee, Oversight and Reform Committee, and Science, Space, and Technology Committee. On Homeland Security, I am working hard to protect America's national security interests, secure our borders, reduce illegal immigration, and prevent drug smuggling and human trafficking networks. My Republican colleagues and I who serve on Oversight and Reform are holding the Biden Administration accountable every day. And on Science, Space, and Technology Committee I am helping guarantee America continues to lead the world in innovation throughout the 21st century.

After swearing in, I immediately got to work on fulfilling my Contract with Kansas. I proudly co-sponsored a Constitutional Amendment that imposes term limits on all members of Congress. I truly believe if we are serious about draining the swamp in Washington, then term limits should be one of our top priorities to ensure members of Congress are focused on the issues and their constituents instead of reelection. I hope my colleagues will join me in also recognizing that priority in the months ahead.

I have protected pro-life values at home and in Washington. At home, I threw my full support behind the Value Them Both Amendment, which finally passed the Kansas Legislature and will go for final approval in a statewide election in August 2022, where I am confident Kansans will choose the side of life. The first caucus I joined in Congress was the Pro-Life Caucus. I have already co-sponsored significant, commonsense pro-life bills that protect the unborn like the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, the Defund Planned Parenthood Act, and the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.

I am deeply committed to defending American national security and the safety of Kansas communities, which is why I have fought to stop the Biden Administration's reckless immigration policies. Unfortunately, President Biden reversed the massive progress achieved under the Trump Administration in securing our border. As a result, we are dealing with a border crisis that poses a direct threat to law-abiding Kansans. However, I am fighting back in Congress to reverse these dangerous policies, like stopping border wall construction, from going any further. I traveled to the southern border to see firsthand the damage done with my colleagues on the Homeland Security Committee. We are now aggressively pressuring President Biden and Congressional Democrats to restore the rule of law, secure our border, and implement solutions to end this crisis.

Predictably, the Democrats have also been relentlessly pursuing legislation to weaken Kansans' 2nd Amendment rights. I have voted against all gun-control legislation proposed by the Democrats that threatens the ability of law-abiding citizens to exercise their constitutional rights to defend themselves and their families.

It is my greatest honor to represent you and help in any way I can. We have accomplished a lot in only four months. However, I know there is a lot more work to be done, and I am excited to continue to get the job done on behalf of Kansas' 2nd District.

Source