Message from Rep. Tracey Mann. Having Trouble Viewing? Click Here. Fellow Kansan, Thank you for subscribing to my newsletter! I’m pleased to update you on my work in Washington, D.C. and the First District of Kansas. It is an honor to represent Kansans in the Big First District in the 118th Congress. I do not serve in Congress to be a caretaker in the slow demise of America – I serve to fight and work to make it stronger, and I believe our brightest days are yet to come. Yours in service,   Mann.House.Gov   This Week The U.S. House of Representatives is back in session, and House Republicans are continuing our push to hold the Biden Administration accountable. The House will consider a resolution formalizing the impeachment inquiry into President Biden. Hunter Biden, who was indicted last week on tax evasion charges and still faces federal gun charges, is also scheduled to be deposed by the Oversight Committee this week. The allegations of criminal business dealings between the President, members of his family, his business associates, and America’s foreign adversaries are credible and severe, and the House of Representatives will honor our sworn duty to determine whether the President is fit for office. This week, the House will also consider legislation to allow schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program to serve whole or reduced-fat milk to students. Under current law, schools must offer milk that is fat-free or low-fat. Milk has 13 essential nutrients that kids need to live healthy lives and succeed in school, and our dairy farmers are proud to support that effort, while I am proud to cosponsor this legislation. Today, the House Small Business Committee held a hearing to review the state of small businesses in America over the past year, and tomorrow, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Highways and Transit will hold a hearing to conduct oversight of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Meetings in the Office Kansas Farm Bureau Kansas Hospital Association Also, as you’ll read below, I’m hosting my final Tele-town Hall for 2023 this Wednesday at 5 PM CT. I hope to hear from you then!     In the Office Reminder: LIVE Tele-Town Hall Tomorrow - December 13 Please join me tomorrow, Wednesday, December 13, at 5:00PM CT for a LIVE tele-town hall. I'll provide an update on what's happening in Washington, D.C. and answer your questions. Tele-town halls are a great way for me to connect with Kansans across the Big First District all on the same night to hear your questions and comments. To join the conversation, call (833) 419-0137 or answer your phone when I call. You can also listen on my Facebook LIVE feed. Click here to submit a question for the tele-town hall. Protecting Small Businesses from Government Overreach Part of my job in Congress and on the House Small Business Committee is to keep a watchful eye on the federal government for any regulatory overreach that would have a negative impact on small businesses and entrepreneurs in Kansas. That’s why I’m taking action to protect small businesses from Kansas from a potential whirlwind of new, burdensome reporting requirements that could hit them in the new year.  In 2021, Congress enacted the Corporate Transparency Act, which unfairly shifted the burden of identifying criminal shell companies from banks to small businesses. This legislation requires businesses with less than $5 million in annual sales and fewer than 20 employees to report information on their beneficial owners to the U.S. Department of Treasury to help identify shell companies used for illegal transactions. Unfortunately, this describes most small businesses in our country. Now, an entirely new reporting system could affect 32.6 million small businesses across America. 90% of those business owners are largely unaware of those new requirements, which carry significant criminal and civil penalties for non-compliance. This week, I sent a letter to the Department of Treasury, urging a one-year delay in the implementation of these new reporting requirements, and I cosponsor legislation that would block the implementation until the Department of Treasury provides more clarity and assurance for small business owners. Additionally, the House is scheduled to vote on legislation this week that would push the beneficial ownership filing deadline back by two years. I remain committed to protecting the sensitive information of small businesses and the privacy of all Americans. Fighting Communist China, Protecting American Students America is blessed to have the best opportunities on planet Earth for young people to pursue research, innovation, and scholarship. Our enemies are threatened by this, and they are actively seeking to undermine it. Foreign entities, including China and Russia, regularly use large donations to American schools to undermine our interests, steal our research, and manipulate our students and faculty. Last week, I voted for legislation that defends American students and strengthens our national security. The DETERRENT Act will: Hold American institutions of higher education to a stricter standard on reporting the gifts, donations, and investments they receive from foreign entities Drop the foreign gift reporting threshold for colleges and universities from $250,000 to $50,000 and impose a $0 threshold for adversarial countries like China and Russia Require disclosure of foreign gifts and contracts to individual staff and faculty at research-heavy institutions to protect those most targeted by our adversaries. We can’t sit idly by while our enemies send a steady stream of cash with strings attached to our postsecondary schools. Read more about the legislation here. Advancing Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Reauthorization Last week, I helped pass H.R. 6494, the Promoting Innovation in Pipeline Efficiency and Safety (PIPES) Act. As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Material, I've been meeting with Kansans all year to get their perspectives on America’s ability to transfer gas and liquid energy. Last week, I brought their priorities to the table to pass pro-America, pro-energy, and pro-development legislation. Kansas has more than 60,000 miles of gas and liquid energy pipelines. At home and across America, we need safe, efficient, and reliable pipeline infrastructure. This legislation includes my priorities like requiring PHMSA to modernize outdated and burdensome regulations, streamline inspection procedures, and more frequently report to Congress and the American public. Our safety, our livelihoods, and America’s economy depend on it. Click here to read more about the legislation. Rep. Mann Seeks Input for Water Resources Development Act As a part of my role on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, I am seeking stakeholder input to develop the next Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). WRDA projects have national, regional, and local significance. They help America stay competitive on the world stage while bolstering our economy, revitalizing local communities, creating jobs, and strengthening our ability to move goods domestically and abroad. Kansans in the Big First know that water resources are essential for our district to continue to thrive. With your help, I can do my part to ensure that Kansans have a seat at the negotiating table. You can send your priorities and/or proposals to my office at: [email protected], or click the button below. Click here to send your proposals.     On the House Floor Keeping my Commitment to the Big First Watch my remarks on the House Floor below. Freedom tomorrow means upholding the Constitutional rights of all Americans today. That’s the lens through which I view my job in Congress and the measuring stick I use for every piece of legislation I consider. Earlier this year, I announced my Commitment to the Big First, a four-part roadmap for the 118th Congress that gets America back on track, advocates for agriculture, and advances our Kansas conservative values. Last week, I spoke on the House Floor highlighting how I'm keeping my commitment to Kansans in the Big First. There’s a lot of work left to do, but with prayer and hard work, I believe our brightest days are yet to come. Click here to read more about my Commitment to the Big First.     In the District This week: Caseworkers in the Community Members of my staff are traveling around the district this week to meet with and assist Kansans. If you need help with casework, please connect with a member of my staff at one of these events. Questions? Please contact my Manhattan office at (785) 370-7277 or my Dodge City office at (620) 682-7340. PLEASE NOTE: CONGRESSMAN MANN WILL NOT BE AT THESE EVENTS. Click here to view the schedule online. Contact my office today.     Happening Across the Country Celebrating Hanukkah Happy Hanukkah to all of our friends and neighbors celebrating this week. I pray that this season is filled with joy, light, and a time to reflect on the blessings in your life. December 13: National Guard 387th Birthday On December 13, 1636, the thirteen original colonies of America established the National Guard. Today, the National Guard still stands ready, always there to serve. I'm grateful to all the Kansas U.S. Army and Air Force Guardsmen for their commitment to protecting our country. God bless our National Guard service members. December 15: National Bill of Rights Day December 15 commemorates the ratification of the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution. These amendments outline the fundamental rights and freedoms of Americans that we still enjoy today including freedom of speech, religion, and the press, as well as the right to bear arms and protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. President Ronald Reagan said that freedom is never more than one generation from extinction. Generations of Americans before us fought to protect our freedoms so they could be passed down to us, and now we must do the same for future generations. Our grandchildren deserve to live in a country that still enshrines the rights we hold dear, and I serve in Congress to work towards building that future. CONSTITUENT SERVICES     Manhattan Office 317 Houston Street Suite A Manhattan, KS 66502 Phone: (785) 370-7277 Dodge City Office 100 Military Avenue Suite 203 Dodge City, KS 37801 Phone: (620) 682-7340 Washington, D.C. Office 344 Cannon HOB Washington, D.C. 20515  Phone: (202) 225-2715 If I can do anything to help you, please reach out to my office. Sincerely,   Rep. Mann | 344 Cannon House Office Bldg., Washington, DC 20515 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]