Tag: U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran

Moran backs legislation broadening support to Afghans who aided U.S. service members

Kansas Republican U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, speaking here last year after U.S. forces left Afghanistan, said he will back a bipartisan bill aiding Afghan military allies in the United States and abroad. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of U.S. Senate YouTube channel)

by Tim Carpenter, Kansas Reflector

Topeka — U.S. Army retiree Slade Deister lauded the commitment Thursday by U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran to support bipartisan legislation designed to improve federal assistance to Afghans who assisted American service members in the 20-year conflict ending in 2021.

Tens of thousands of Afghan allies who risked their lives to support U.S. involvement in Afghanistan were evacuated and relocated to this country last year, but others remained in Afghanistan or found sanctuary in third countries.

“This is a critical piece of legislation that supports our nation’s veterans and warfighters by ensuring that we honor our allies during America’s longest war,” said Deister, of Leavenworth. “If Congress does not act to support its allies by passing the Afghan Adjustment Act, potential allies in future combat zones are going to be less likely to support the U.S. mission after seeing our Afghan partners abandoned.”

Afghans granted temporary status in the United States on humanitarian grounds who then seek permanent legal residency must work through the asylum system or the Special Immigrant Visa program, both of which have severe backlogs. The legislation cosponsored by Moran would enable these individuals to undergo supplemental vetting in their quest for permanent legal residency.

In addition, the measure would create a task force to craft and implement a strategy for supporting Afghans left behind or residing outside the United States. It would mandate the U.S. State Department respond to congressional inquiries about immigration visa applications.

The immigrant visa program would be expanded by the bill to include Afghan women who served on tactical teams, the Afghan Army special operations command as well as the special mission wing, and the Afghan Air Force.

“The withdrawal from Afghanistan was a dark day in American history,” Moran said. “The rushed and chaotic evacuation from Kabul resulted in the deaths of American service members and stranded thousands of our Afghan allies behind enemy lines.”

He said Afghans stood with U.S. service members for two decades at risk of their lives and the lives of family members. The plea of U.S. veterans and military organizations for additional aid to these people should be answered, the senator said.

“This legislation will put a program in place to protect our national security while also keeping our promise to those who risked their lives for America,” Moran said.

Moran stood in support of the legislation with Republican Sens. Roy Blunt of Missouri, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Also endorsing the bill were Democratic Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Chris Coons of Delaware and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut. A comparable version of the bill has been introduced in the U.S. House.

The U.S. evacuation in Afghanistan led to the greatest military airlift operation since World War II and the death of 13 American service members. U.S. troops departed Aug. 15, 2021, when the country fell to the Taliban.

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Davids, Moran taking part in U.S. supply-chain, domestic manufacturing reform negotiations

Weaknesses exposed by COVID-19 pandemic focus of bipartisan innovation bill

by Tim Carpenter, Kansas Reflector

Topeka — U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran and U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids offered input Thursday into development of a compromise bill designed to improve domestic manufacturing and the nation’s supply chain that were exposed as competitively deficient during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sen. Moran, a Republican, and Rep. Davids, a Democrat, were appointed to the Senate and House negotiating committee working on a combined version of the Bipartisan Innovation Act. An agreement resolving differences in the House and Senate versions of the bill, if approved by both chambers, would be forwarded to President Joe Biden.

The legislation’s objective has been to come to terms with shortcomings in U.S. supply-chain resiliency and domestic manufacturing limitations — semiconductors, for example. One aim of Congress would be lowing costs in the wake of record-setting inflation. In addition, lawmakers feel pressure to grapple with growth in China’s economic and technological power, fuel U.S. research and development and reinforcement U.S. workforce programs.

In Sen. Moran’s remarks to the conference committee in Washington, D.C., the senator said the package ought to feature improved support of so-called STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math. It should to be designed to promote entrepreneurial business activity, he said.

“This committee is tasked with making certain our country is out-competing adversarial nations, including China, which we can do,” he said.

Sen. Moran recommended the final version of the bill include provisions to solidify federal funding of NASA. He said Congress had pieced together financial backing of NASA missions for several years without passage of formal authorization legislation.

“When you can present a bipartisan authorization followed up with the funding of programs, it sends a strong signal to the agency, industry and our global partners that we remain committed in accomplishing our stated missions. This is especially critical as our adversaries continue to advance within the space domain,” Sen. Moran said.

Rep. Davids, in remarks to colleagues on the Senate-House conference committee, said she’d spoken with dozens of Kansas business owners, workers, students and entrepreneurs about the federal manufacturing and supply chain legislation.

“I’ve been on the factory floor with welders who make the railroads that get goods from ship to shelf across our country,” the 3rd District representative said. “I’ve seen firsthand how a Kansas battery manufacturer recycles their materials through the production process to reduce waste and improve efficiency. I’ve met with union autoworkers who were off the line for seven months last year because the chip shortage idled a GM plant in my district.”

“I’ve been out in the community because I want to make sure that during this negotiation, I’m fighting for what our businesses and workers really need,” Rep. Davids said.

She said the COVID-19 pandemic caused global disruption in the international supply chain that escalated prices paid by large and small businesses and consumers.

“But I have to tell you: This isn’t new,” Rep. Davids said. “The reality is we’ve been reliant on goods made in other countries for far too long, and Kansans are paying the price. When we focus on domestic manufacturing, it will not only bring jobs back and boost our economy, it will help lower costs across the board and reduce inflation.”

She said the United States possessed the “innovation, the grit and the talent” to compete with countries like China, but the United States had relied on goods made in other countries for too long. She said focus of the House-Senate agreement had to be investment in American manufacturing and workers, especially those engaged in small businesses.

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Kansas delegation denounces Russian ‘tyrant,’ urges support of Ukrainians

by Tim Carpenter, Kansas Reflector

Topeka — Members of the Kansas congressional delegation found unanimity in denouncing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and demanding imposition of the strongest available economic sanctions in reprisal.

U.S. House and U.S. Senate members from Kansas shared views on how President Joe Biden or Congress ought to respond to the invasion ordered by President Vladimir Putin of Russia. In statements, however, none echoed former President Donald Trump’s praise of Putin’s intellect or an assertion by former Kansas U.S. Rep. Mike Pompeo that Putin was an “elegantly sophisticated counterpart.”

U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Republican, said the greatest breach of peace in Europe in nearly 80 years required NATO to demonstrate “strength and resolve” and for Biden to provide more defensive aid to Ukrainian allies. He said the United States needed to continue pursuit of economic penalties against Russia.

The U.S. Senate should develop a comprehensive and bipartisan package of sanctions against Russia in response to Putin’s “unprovoked invasion” of Ukraine, said GOP U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran.

“It is essential to demonstrate to the American public and the world that the Senate can work expeditiously and in a bipartisan manner to address matters of global security,” Moran said.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, who serves the 3rd District in the Kansas City, Kansas, area, said the United States had to make clear Russia couldn’t intimidate or invade allies or partner countries without consequence. She said Putin must be held responsible for “unjustified and unacceptable aggression.”

Amanda Adkins, who is seeking the GOP nomination in the 3rd District, said Biden “showed weakness in the midst of difficulty” in the presidential role of preserving economic and national security interests of the United States and strategic partners in Europe.

U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, a Republican who serves the 4th District around Wichita, said Putin was a tyrant who unleased military forces on a sovereign nation for “personal gain without regard to loss of life or even the will of his own people.”

“There must be consequences for such a reckless and dangerous action. President Biden should take a strong stance against this invasion of an independent nation,” Estes said.

U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, the GOP representative of the 2nd District in eastern Kansas, said innocent people of Ukraine had to be defended and “Putin and his thugs” should be held accountable. He said Biden ought to dramatically increase domestic energy production to offset instability in the world market.

Kansas Reflector stories, www.kansasreflector.com, may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
See more at https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-delegation-denounces-russian-tyrant-urge-support-of-ukrainians/