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   2023 in Review: Here to Serve You Each year, I release an annual report to give you an overview of my work in Congress, which I've outlined in my four-part Commitment to the Big First: An Economy that's Strong A Nation that's Safe and a Border that's Secure A Future that's Built on Freedom A Government that's Accountable In my annual report, I highlight legislation that I introduced and co-sponsored, my activity on the House Agriculture, Small Business, and Transportation and Infrastructure committees, and I share some of the ways my office has assisted Kansans this year. Serving as your representative in Congress continues to be the honor of a lifetime. I will always stand for freedom in the face of government overreach because whether you’re a parent, a child – born or unborn, a student, a farmer, or a small business owner, you don’t need the federal government trying to control your life. 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 my 2023 Annual Report to Kansans.     In the Office Defending American Kids and Dairy Farmers Last week, the House passed the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which would allow kids to consume the milk they prefer at home and school. Milk is a top source of protein for children ages 2-11, and it's the top source of calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and Vitamin D for children ages 2-18. This legislation will honor parental and student choice and give school food service providers simplicity and flexibility in milk options so they can easily craft nutritious lunches that students will enjoy. American dairy farmers are proud to support the health of kids across the country, and I am proud to cosponsor this legislation. Read more about the legislation here. Blocking Big Government Overreach, Federal Abortion Policy I am a staunch supporter of our nation’s military, but I could not in good conscience vote yes on the National Defense Authorization Act brought to the House Floor last week. This legislation would facilitate abuse of government surveillance of Americans at the Federal Bureau of Investigations and extend taxpayer funding for abortion at the U.S. Department of Defense. I made a commitment to Kansans to protect the right to life enshrined in our Constitution and to stop the federal government's overreach into the lives of all Americans, and I will continue to keep that commitment. Click here to read more about my vote. Urging the ITC to Listen to U.S. Agricultural Producers Last week, I sent a letter to the International Trade Commission (ITC), urging it to listen to farmers, agricultural producers, and agricultural retailers when it makes decisions on the supply of phosphate fertilizer. Farmers know the situation best – U.S. fertilizer prices are out of control, and people’s livelihoods hang in the balance. The ITC, however, is arbitrarily limiting both the information allowed to be submitted and the parties permitted to respond. Fertilizer affordability is critical to the U.S. farm economy, and any threats to our food security are threats to our national security. Click here to read the full text of the letter. Submit Comments to USDA: Reporting on Foreign Holdings of U.S. Agricultural Land The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is requesting public input on the collection of information surrounding foreign ownership and leasing of U.S. agricultural land. USDA-Farm Service Agency (FSA) is proposing to update the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act report form to include data on long-term lessees and assess the impacts of foreign investment on agricultural producers and rural communities. Click here for more information and to offer your comments. EPA’s Proposed Revisions to Meat and Poultry Processor Wastewater Standards On December 15, the Biden Administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposed rule to revise wastewater discharge standards for meat and poultry process facilities. The proposed rule would expand nitrogen discharge restrictions, require many facilities to pretreat certain indirect discharges, and for the first time, regulate phosphorous discharge from meat processing facilities. EPA will hold public hearings on the proposed rule in January 2024 and will take public comment on the regulation for 60 days following its publication in the Federal Register. While the public comment period is not yet open, I encourage all stakeholders who may be affected by the new proposed rule to prepare to provide input, which will ensure that Kansas producers have a say in the rulemaking process. Click here to learn more about the rule and comment period.     Committee Updates Advocating for Rural Small Businesses The Big First is home to more than 20,000 small businesses, and more than 80% of employees in the Big First are employed by small businesses, which help drive our economy and define the American dream. Unfortunately, that dream is becoming further out of reach, especially for our rural small businesses who continue to face unprecedented challenges brought on, in large part, by President Biden’s wasteful spending and overregulation. But as you know, Kansans believe - Ad Astra Per Aspera - to the stars through difficulties. I am proud of the work House Republicans have done to rein in the overregulation, out-of-control spending, and burdensome regulations that rural America is facing.  During last week’s House Small Business Committee hearing, I asked American small business owners how they helped produce a better future for themselves and their communities despite and through these challenges. Watch my remarks and questioning below: Addressing America's Truck Driver Shortage As the country's geographic center, Kansas offers excellent transportation advantages to keep the American industry thriving. To maintain these advantages, however, we must solve the ongoing national truck driver shortage. Congress has mandated that President Biden's Department of Transportation (DOT) begin a pilot program to train individuals between the ages 18-20 to be professional truck drivers, but DOT has failed to implement it. I asked DOT Administrator Robin Hutcheson of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration about this issue when she testified before the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's Subcommittee on Highways and Transit last week. Watch my full remarks and questioning below:     In the District ICYMI: December Ag Hero: Springhill Herefords America was built by generational family farmers and ranchers like the Stump family of Springhill Herefords, a multi-generational family operation in Marshall County. Springhill Herefords was established in 1937 by Harold Stump. Today, Harold’s son, Dave, and his family run 200 registered Hereford cows, and 90% of the cows are descendants of the original herd. Over the years, the family has strived to produce high-quality Hereford cattle that have the functionality, efficiency, and performance needed to excel in today’s beef industry. Their goal is to raise cattle that are structurally sound, graze the native pastures, have a calf every year unassisted, and wean at a respectable weight. Raising Hereford cows and farming the land is more than a business for the Stump family – it’s a way of life. Together, the people behind Springhill Herefords exemplify what American family farmers always have: faith, hard work, love of neighbor, personal responsibility, and selflessness. Click here to read more about the Stump family. Grand Opening in Hays: Community-Based Outpatient Clinic for Veterans Yesterday, I participated in the grand opening of the Hays Community-Based Outpatient Clinic for veterans. In America, we support the brave men and women who defend our freedoms in the armed forces, and that support must not stop once they take off their uniforms. Of the 20 million veterans living in America, 4.4 million live in rural areas, where it can be difficult to recruit and retain health care professionals. As a result, millions of veterans in rural America struggle with access to health care. I’m proud of the role that this new and improved facility, the fourth in the Big First, will play in supporting our nation's heroes. Mark Your Calendars: 2024 Mann Listening Tour I'm excited to announce that the annual Mann Listening Tour will be kicking off January 2-4, 2024, and January 9, 2024. Each year, I commit to visiting all 60 counties in the Big First District and hosting a town hall in each one. Meeting with Kansans and listening to your comments gives me the marching orders I need to serve you in Congress. Below is the full schedule for the first round of town halls in 2024. I hope to see you there. Questions about a town hall? Contact my Manhattan office at (785) 370-7277. Click here to view the full schedule online. 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. 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