WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., today announced the Committee will hold its first field hearing of the 115th Congress in Manhattan, Kan., on the upcoming Farm Bill reauthorization.

“It’s time to get to work on another Farm Bill, and we’re heading straight to the heartland to talk directly to producers,” said Chairman Roberts. “I can’t think of a more appropriate venue to hold this hearing than Manhattan, Kan., the home of Kansas State University, the Kansas Department of Agriculture, and Kansas Farm Bureau.

“Our producers have had time to employ the programs in the current Farm Bill, and they have a lot to say. We need clear direction on what is working and what is not working in farm country, and we will be listening to see what needs to be adjusted.

“As I said at the beginning of the 114th Congress, I will put farmers and ranchers first in the Senate Agriculture Committee.”

“As we begin to have discussions about the next Farm Bill, we will need input from farmers and families all across the country,” said Ranking Member Stabenow. “I am looking forward to this first field hearing in Chairman Roberts’ home state to hear directly from producers and others who care about rural America so we can craft a bill that continues to strengthen American agriculture as well as small towns and rural communities.”

The hearing will feature testimony from a variety of agricultural producers.

The meeting will be Thursday, February 23rd at McCain Auditorium at Kansas State University.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) was selected today to serve as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies. This selection rounds out Sen. Moran’s focus on national security and complements his membership on the Defense and State, Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittees.

“This chairmanship gives me the opportunity to address Department of Defense investments in infrastructure, the quality of life for military families, and also make improvements at the Department of Veterans Affairs to better serve our nation’s veterans,” Sen. Moran said. “I take seriously my role in being a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars and will work to make certain funding is prioritized in order to follow through on the commitments made to our military men and women before and after their service, and to support critical infrastructure at home and abroad vital to keeping Kansans and Americans safe.”

“The Aerospace Industries Association congratulates Senator Moran on being named Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies,” said AIA President and CEO David F. Melcher. “He is a staunch advocate for the aerospace and defense industry and understands not only our dedication to providing the best capability to the warfighter at the best value to the taxpayer, but also our potential to create thousands of high-skill, high-paying American jobs. We look forward to working with him to achieve our mutual goals of ensuring our national security and boosting the strength of our economy.”

National Commander of The American Legion Charles Schmidt added, “The American Legion congratulates Sen. Moran on his appointment as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies. We sincerely look forward to working with Senator Moran and his Senate colleagues to help put veterans and their families first.”

“I am very exciting for Kansas and Jerry. This new role demonstrates his leadership in the U.S. Senate,” said Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army, John G. Montgomery of Junction City, Kan. “His chairmanship will mean great things for Kansas.”

“Senator Moran’s chairmanship of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies represents his strong commitment to those military members who serve or have served our country,” said Governor’s Military Council Executive Director Perry Wiggins. “The United States Armed Forces, service members and their families, our nation’s veterans and Kansans in particular, have an excellent advocate in Senator Jerry Moran.”

As the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman, Sen. Moran will prioritize investments in programs and policies that are vital to the United States Armed Forces and veterans across the nation. Through the subcommittee’s jurisdiction over certain elements within the Department of Defense, Sen. Moran will work to ensure military installations and critical infrastructure around the globe are ready to support our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines, as well as their families. Additionally, with jurisdiction over the Department of Veterans Affairs budget, Sen. Moran aims to improve VA programs that provide veterans with the timely, quality healthcare and benefits they have earned.

Sen. Moran has worked throughout his time in Congress to improve the quality of life for the nearly 250,000 veterans living in Kansas. He has served on both the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs committees and will continue this service in the 115th Congress.

Sen. Moran will continue to serve as a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies.

There is a tentative plan for Sundown Salute entertainment in 2017. The new committee overseeing the event has five days scheduled from June 30 through July 4.

Committee chair Nikki Londene said the opening night would feature a street dance. There could be local and regional musicians performing. “We’d love to kick it off with a street dance, a really well known DJ that can mix together some fun stuff, and we can just have a great night that night and everybody can just celebrate the beginning of Sundown Salute with carnival rides and start beginning to celebrate the Big Red One’s birthday party.”

The overall theme that has been agreed upon is ‘100 years and going strong.’

Other entertainment plans would include a headliner on Saturday night July 1, with local bands leading up to the headline performance.

July 2, a Sunday, would include church services and religious bands until 4 p.m., then switch over to country music.

July 3 would showcase local groups, and July 4 would be a patriotic USA type night with the 1st Infantry Division Band and 1st Infantry Division Rock Band. There would be fireworks.

This is all tentative at this point. Fundraising must occu, bands obtained and Fort Riley permission obtained for the 1st Infantry Division bands.

A proposed City/County Comprehensive plan will go to the Metropolitan Planning Commission in Junction City for consideration.

David Yearout, MPC Planning and Zoning Administrator said that this proposal could be a mpa for future development and growth in the community.

“Presuming that there were no issues holding you back – like money, or political will or anything else – where would you want to be in 20 years, and what would you like to see happen in the community in 20 years; do you want to grow?” said Yearout.

In order for growth, there must be space for businesses and expansion – does Junction City have that?

“The biggest issue that came to the forefront when we started our stakeholder meetings back in the beginning and brought in dozens and dozens of folks from around the community, the theme that came out consistently was ‘we really don’t have any place for businesses to go and create jobs or industrial development’; there is land that everybody points to particularly on the east side of the City down in the bottoms, and they call it the bottoms because it floods,” said Yearout. “That’s a big hinderance to anybody that’s putting millions of dollars into a building.”

Yearout noted that the same issue exists to the south of the city leaving the west side of town as the only direction for potential new growth and development.

The plan calls for consideration toward putting an interchange at Taylor Road and I-70, making improvements on Taylor Road to Ash Street – Liberty Hall Road and extending Strauss Blvd. both east and west.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today announced he is accepting applications for congressional internships in his Washington, D.C., Manhattan and Olathe, Kan., offices for summer 2017.
“My first experience in Washington, D.C., was working as a congressional intern,” said Sen. Moran. “Internships offer Kansas students great opportunities to learn about the legislative process and work on behalf of our great state.”

An internship in Sen. Moran’s office – focused on either policy or communications – provides a unique opportunity to work closely with Senate staff on behalf of Kansans. Legislative interns will gain a better understanding of the legislative process in the U.S. Congress and develop knowledge and professional skills valuable to future career pursuits. Communications internships provide a unique opportunity to learn about how political communications and the legislative process intersect, and gain practical knowledge about the inner workings of a fast-paced press office.

The Office of Senator Jerry Moran intern program is open to qualified undergraduate and graduate students – or recent graduates – who have strong interest in public service and government and have achieved academic excellence.

The application deadline for summer 2017 internships is Friday, Feb. 17, 2017. Application forms can be found and completed under the “Services” section of Sen. Moran’s website at www.moran.senate.gov. Applicants should submit a completed application form, resume, academic transcript, two letters of recommendation and a cover letter explaining their interest in public service and what they hope to learn serving as an intern to Sen. Moran. Please submit required application materials to: internships@moran.senate.gov

For questions, please contact Sen. Moran’s office at internships@moran.senate.gov or call 202-224-6521 and request to speak with the intern coordinator.

Geary USD 475 Board of Education member Dr. Anwar Khoury supports building a new Junction City High School, but before he can vote in favor of that move he wants assurances in writing from federal government officials guaranteeing that heavily impacted military aid targeted for the the district is going to be there.

Khoury stated on Monday, “Absolutely. That’s what I asked in our Board meeting today for our superintendent to provide us whatever concrete evidence he has in writing from the heavy impact federal government board to us so that we are assured that we will get paid that $27.3 million in 2018, 2019 and 2010.” The funds would be spread over that three year period and would be used to finance a new high school. The district already has additional heavily impacted military aid money that has been received in the bank ready for use if the project gets final approval.

USD 475 Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Corbin Witt noted he could not give an absolute guarantee on anything but made it clear in a JC Post interview that district officials are confident the federal money will be there. “We get the best information we can, and so we’ve tried to go through and talk to everybody that we know of….what is the future, do we have anything to worry about, is there something that we can get in writing, and we’re working on that.” Witt also stated it’s hard. “Not too many people in Washington want to give you things in writing. ” Witt added district officials “feel very confident” they will have the money. We’ve talked with the people who are in the know at the federal level, and they say you’re good to go so you go with the best information you have but I don’t know if you can ever give anybody a 100 percent on anything.”

Board of Education member Brian Field said there is enough assurance available. “With the three fail safes that we have in place, and the biggest one being the referendum that we send out to the community, we’ll find out pretty quickly what the community wants.” Field feels a decision needs to be made and if the district is going to move on this project now is the best time.

In a referendum local voters would cast ballots on a proposed bond issue. Approval of that bond issue would allow the district to obtain state aid to fund 48 percent of the project, with the remainder of the money coming from the federal heavily impacted military aid funding. The goal would be to not increase the local property tax ley.

A JCHS Way Forward Steering Committee is studying the information on the need for a new school and will make a recommendation to the Board of Education on February 6. The options being considered include building a new high school at a new location, a new high school at the existing site, renovating the current facility, or undertaking significant maintenance to fix infrastructure related problems in the current building. Once their recommendation is submitted, the BOE must decide whether to pursue a project, and schedule a referendum on a proposed bond issue.