Newsletter: Conservative Case for Investment in Research, Email Privacy Act, 100 Days of New Congress

Statement

The Conservative Case for Investment in Research

Diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's know no political parties, regional differences, or what the effects of sequestration are. They affect all of us indiscriminately, killing more Americans each year than any war. Cancer will kill almost 600,000 Americans in 2015 alone. Another 700,000 Americans will die with Alzheimer's disease. Close to 500,000 people in the United States have Parkinson's. Providing adequate funding for researching cures promotes a culture of life. It is a moral issue.

But I'm making the case for increased funding at National Institutes of Health (NIH) on conservative principles, not only from a moral standpoint but an economic one as well. This isn't something states or local communities can do. No neighborhood association is going to cure cancer. Private sector companies do not have the heft to fund research of this magnitude. Thus, the federal government has a unique role to play in this arena, and paying for more critical research at NIH will simply involve reprioritizing our investments for our future.

Medical costs associated with treating cancer are expected to top $200 billion annually by 2020. In 2014, we spent only $5.3 billion on cancer research at NIH. Medical costs associated with Alzheimer's disease are expected to jump to a staggering $1.1 trillion annually by 2050. To put that figure in perspective, it would be nearly one-third of our entire federal budget this year, which included only $562 million for Alzheimer's research. Finally, Parkinson's disease had an economic impact on the US economy of $10.8 billion last year alone. We spent what amounts to around one percent of that figure -- $139 million -- on research.

Not investing billions today and costing ourselves trillions tomorrow is penny-wise and pound-foolish. Simply put, if the United States doesn't take up its historic role of funding research to cure cancer, Alzheimer's, or Parkinson's no one will. With a 17-month-old daughter, I know she and her generation are counting on us to cure these diseases and save lives for generations to come.

Email Privacy Act

Last week, I tried unsuccessfully to have the Email Privacy Act - my bill that would require a warrant for the government to read our emails - moved to the floor as an amendment to pending cybersecurity legislation. Unfortunately, the House Rules Committee voted the amendment out of order, but we will continue our quest to uphold the Constitution and protect Americans' Fourth Amendment rights.

100 Days

The House finished its first 100 days last week, and while there is still much work to do, we're off to a good start. The House has passed dozens of bills to increase tax freedom, move closer to North American Energy independence, grow small businesses, fight human trafficking, support our veterans, and so much more.

A recent report by the Bipartisan Policy Center found that, "The first three months of the 114th Congress showed a burst of energy, with Congressional committees reporting bills in higher numbers than during recent Congresses."

Under Republican leadership in the House and Senate, things are different in Washington, and there's data to prove it:

We've passed 62 bills, which more than doubled the 25 passed in the first 100 days of the 113th Congress and is twice as many as the 31 passed in the 112th Congress.

Of these bills, eight have gone on to pass the Senate. All eight of those bills have been signed into law.

This marks the second most productive first 100 days where Republicans have been in control of the House in decades, behind only the 106th Congress where 14 bills were enacted.

To top it off, our committees have been more efficient than the previous three Congresses. In this Congress, 7.6 percent of bills have passed out of committee compared to 3.9 percent in the 113th, 3.4 percent in the 112th and the 40-year historical average of 6.6 percent.

Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill

Last week, the House Appropriations Committee passed the 2016 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill. This bill provides $76.6 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), as well as military construction projects for our troops, their families, and our military bases. It also increases oversight at the VA, tracks regional VA offices' performance, and provides funding to clear the VA's claims backlog.

Provides $76.6 billion in discretionary funding for FY 2016 for the Department of Veterans Affairs as well as military construction projects for our troops, their families, and our military bases

$4.6 billion over FY15 funding level and $1.2 billion below the President's request

$68.7 billion in discretionary funding for Veterans programs, including benefits, health care, housing, and job training

$7.7 billion for military construction

$48.6 billion for VA medical services to care for 6.9 million patients, including important funding for suicide prevention, traumatic brain injury, and mental health

Increases oversight at the VA, tracks regional VA offices' performance, and provides funding to clear the VA's claims backlog

The funding allocated in this bill ensures that we are keeping the promise to our nation's veterans, servicemembers, and their families. I was proud to vote in favor of its passage.

Energy and Water Appropriations Bill

The House Appropriations Committee also passed the 2016 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill with my support. This bill responsibly prioritizes spending and provides $35.4 billion for national defense nuclear weapons activities, the Army Corps of Engineers, various programs under the Department of Energy (DOE), and other related agencies. It spends $633 million less than the President's Budget Request.

Provides $35.4 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Energy, Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, and other related agencies

$1.2 billion above FY15 funding level and $633 million below the President's request

$12.3 billion for the Department of Energy's nuclear security program to maintain the U.S. nuclear deterrence posture and the safety of our nuclear stockpile

$5.6 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers for navigation projects, flood and storm damage reduction, and dam safety improvements

$1.178 billion from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund to reduce the backlog of dredging needs

$10.3 billion to advance our "all-of-the-above" energy strategy to advance research and development on fossil, nuclear, and renewable energy programs

$1.1 billion for the Bureau of Reclamation to manage water resources

Includes important provisions that prohibit jurisdictional expansion or other changes to the Clean Water Act

The money allocated in this bill will facilitate the infrastructure needed to keep Americans safe, fund the Army Corps of Engineers' various public works projects, help drive America towards energy independence, grow our economy, and alleviate suffering from droughts in Kansas and around the country.

Project Eagle Head Start

I enjoyed meeting with Dean Olson, President and CEO of The Family Conservancy (TFC), and Head Start leaders who are working to serve over 50,000 children and families in the greater metro area. Earlier this year, the Family Conservancy was awarded an Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership grant that will allow TFC to expand high quality early learning opportunities for even more infants and toddlers and their families in our community. I look forward to working with TFC to promote opportunities to encourage families to talk, read, and play with our children every day.

I was also able to visit a classroom at Project Eagle Head Start and read a book with my new preschool friends. Thank you to Heather Schrotberger, Director at Project Eagle, and Jessica Haremza, Educare site director, for showing me around the classrooms and Kelli Roehr and Audra Bush, the hardworking educators who let me join their classroom as a guest reader.

Earlier this year, National Head Start Association (NHSA) presented me with the PROMISE Award for my strong support of the Head Start program during my tenure in Congress. It was the first year NHSA has given out the award, coinciding with the 50-year anniversary of the program being created by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965.

Letter to CDC Director

In March, 31 students at Olathe Northwest tested positive for tuberculosis. This is a highly infectious, but preventable disease.

Recently, I sent a letter to Center for Disease Control and Prevention Director Tom Frieden expressing my concerns about the outbreak and requesting a breakdown on CDC's efforts to track and prevent communicable diseases like tuberculosis.

Bob Dole

Great to visit with Bob Dole on the plane back from DC last week. He was on his way to receive an award in Kansas City from the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum.

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