Kansas farmers and ranchers play a critical role in providing food to people across America and around the world. I believe that they do an exemplary job and should be commended for their dedication.

We must work to establish federal policies that promote an agriculture friendly environment. This includes finding new and innovative ways to make the family farm thrive.

National defense and homeland security are the Federal government’s primary responsibility under our Constitution, and I take this responsibility very seriously. I believe that we need to ensure that our troops are the best-trained and best-equipped to meet the national security challenges of the 21st century. I also know that we need to adequately compensate the men and women who have bravely chosen to serve in our military.

As a strong and active supporter of the Second District’s contribution to our nation’s defense, I will continue to fight for Fort Riley, Fort Leavenworth, Forbes Field Air National Guard Base, and the Kansas Army Ammunitions Plant.

As a Congressman, I voted against H.R. 1, No Child Left Behind, in the 107th Congress. On December 13, 2001 by a vote of 381 to 41, the final version of H.R. 1 was passed by the House. The Senate followed with a vote of 87 to 10 on December 18, 2001. The President signed H.R. 1 into law on January 8, 2002.

I heard from many Kansans who expressed a wide variety of concerns with No Child Left Behind. My primary concern with No Child Left Behind was the testing requirements in the accountability segment of the bill. While we all want to be sure that students are learning to the best of their ability, more testing does not always accomplish that goal. I also felt that the educational system in Kansas was working well without an increase in the number of mandates to meet.

Although the budget is tight, Congress has continued to make education funding a priority in order to give schools the resources they need to meet new requirements. In fact, Federal education funding has doubled over the past six years. On December 8, 2003, the House passed the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Act as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Bill, H.R. 2673. H.R. 2673 boosts the overall funding for the Department of Education for Fiscal Year 2004 up to $56 billion, an increase of $2.9 billion over Fiscal Year 2003.

I believe that it is important that we have a forward-thinking and comprehensive energy plan that addresses the critical energy issues facing our nation. We must focus both on our need for conservation and our need for new and increased energy sources. We must do this without sacrificing our way of life or the environment.

There are many important components of such a plan. We must continue to update our energy infrastructure while using technology to increase conservation without forcing Americans to simply "do without." We must also increase our domestic supply of energy, as well as develop renewable and alternative energy sources. This would reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

Finally, I believe that improving our domestic energy production dramatically improves our national security by decreasing our dependence on nations who use their resources to promote terrorism.

My strong and consistent leadership on the issue of illegal immigration includes passage of H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act. This comprehensive bill provided funding to build border fences, increased penalties for those who employ undocumented workers and allowed for the deployment of new surveillance technology to help stop the flow of illegal immigrants across our borders.

Stopping illegal immigration should be the first step in addressing the larger issue of illegal immigration. We must then identify the illegal immigrants currently in the country and penalize them for the laws they have broken.

No form of amnesty should ever be granted and those individuals who enter our country illegally should not be allowed to receive taxpayer-funded benefits.

We have too many politicians in Washington using the Iraq War for political gain. The 2nd District is home to three major military installations. Representing a District where so many brave men and women are putting themselves in harm’s way demands a Congressman who will always look out for what they believe is in the best interests of our military. This includes unwavering support of our troops, making sure they have the tools they need to perform their duties, and never using the privilege of serving as their Representative for political gain.

While serving in Congress, I worked diligently with our military installations and surrounding communities to prepare for BRAC which resulted in 10,000 new military jobs for Kansas, improving our economy by $500 million a year.

I believe that the pre-born are precious lives that deserve our protection. We must do what we can to defend them since they are not able to defend themselves. I believe that all human life is protected by the United States Constitution. When I became the Representative for the Second District of Kansas I took an oath to uphold and protect the Constitution--an oath of responsibility that I take very seriously. I will always support legislation that protects the youngest and smallest members of our society.

The right of law abiding citizens to keep and bear arms is a Constitutional right that we have a sacred duty to protect. We have a responsibility to ensure that criminals who violate the law are prosecuted to the fullest, rather than restricting the rights of law abiding citizens

My belief has always been that Kansans know far better how to spend their hard-earned dollars than bureaucrats in Washington. Congress has enough of your money already and there is no need for them to take more from your paycheck.

When I first got to Washington, I met with then Ways and Means Chairman, Bill Archer. We talked about ways to lower the tax burden on hard-working American families, especially ones with children. When we started talking about what is now known as the child tax credit – it was $250 per child. Because of the President’s tax relief, it is now $1000 per child.

The Death Tax is an issue that will affect many small businesses and farmers in our District. I support the permanent repeal of the Death Tax.

The current tax cuts are set to expire in 2010 and we need someone to step in and make sure this doesn’t happen. If elected, I will work day and night to make sure these tax cuts are made permanent.

I have the utmost respect for the men and women who have served our nation in the Armed Forces. The sacrifices made by these men and women are a major reason that Americans enjoy unparalleled freedom today. It is important that we continue to provide these veterans with the care they need to lead a successful life. They fought for us when called upon; we must now do the same for them.

With the brutal attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States was shown the real danger and enemy of the post-Cold War world: International Terrorism. We have launched military attacks around the world, worked to cut-off the financial support for terrorists, sought airline security legislation, tightened control on our borders, and continue to restructure immigration policy and national security within the United States. We must unite in our resolve to swiftly and completely eradicate terrorism at its heart. The free world depends on our response to this act of war against humanity. Freedom must be preserved, not only on our own soil, but also for all people who embrace the right to live freely and in peace.