Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.)

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) today urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to address safety concerns following the USDA decision to lift a ban on Brazilian beef into the U.S. The U.S. suspended imports in 2017 following several public health concerns.

“Consumers purchase beef without reservation. That confidence is vital to sustain domestic beef demand,” said Johnson. “While we must honor trade agreements based on sound-science, I feel compelled to question Brazil’s ability to maintain the food safety standards equivalent to USDA FSIS that ensure consumer confidence at the meat case.”

Full text of the letter below:

The Honorable Mindy M. Brashears

Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety

U.S. Department of Agriculture

1400 Independence Avenue SW

Washington, DC 20250

Dear Deputy Under Secretary Brashears:

As you know, South Dakota ranchers pride themselves on their product and the consumer confidence in the safety of beef in the meat case. Further, cattlemen in South Dakota know they produce a high-quality beef product that can compete in any foreign or domestic market. However, consumers must be confident that any fresh beef purchased in the U.S. is safe to eat. As such, producers welcomed Secretary Perdue’s June 22, 2017, announcement that U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) would be halting imports of fresh beef from Brazil to the U.S.

In the announcement, USDA noted that although 100% of the imported beef from Brazil was inspected, their rejection rate was substantially higher than the rest of the world. In the same announcement, USDA also cited public health concerns, sanitary conditions, and animal health issues as problematic factors that influenced USDA’s decision to halt Brazilian beef imports. Consumers purchase beef without reservation. That confidence is vital to sustain domestic beef demand.

While we must honor trade agreements based on sound-science, I feel compelled to question Brazil’s ability to maintain the food safety standards equivalent to USDA FSIS that ensure consumer confidence at the meat case. Additionally, I am concerned about the long-term enforcement and oversight of their processes. I respectfully request answers to the following questions about the decision to lift the Brazilian beef ban:

• As you know, industry views foreign fresh beef as a risk to accidental introduction of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), as well as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). How did FSIS coordinate with the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to consider the health of the domestic cattle industry with respect to this decision?
• Following USDA FSIS’s on-site audit of the US-Brazil equivalency agreement, what commitments has Brazil made to improve its food safety inspection protocols and how will USDA FSIS conduct rigorous oversight of Brazil’s beef exports?
• Does USDA FSIS plan to inspect 100% of Brazil’s beef imports? If so, for how long?
• If Brazil fails to uphold its commitments to maintain food safety, what mechanisms, if any, does USDA FSIS possess to quickly halt imports to ensure consumer safety in the U.S.?

I appreciate your commitment to providing U.S. consumers the safest and most abundant food supply in the world and appreciate your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

Today, Representative Sharice Davids joined Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) and Abigail Spanberger (VA-07) in calling on President Biden to help reopen recently idled oil refineries. This would increase refinery capacity temporarily and lower the cost of gas without sacrificing long-term clean energy production goals. In addition to pushing this immediate action, Davids hasrepeatedlyurged the President and Congressional leadership to move forward on long-term energy and inflation solutions, including fixing our supply chains, making more goods in America, and investing in our clean energy economy.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), domestic refining capacity is down to 17.9 million barrels per day, almost as low as it was in 2010. At the same time, global refining capacity has declined by 3 million barrels per day, even as demand has returned to pre-pandemic levels. This shortage of oil refining capacity is the result of an unprecedented wave of refinery closures as demand for fuel plummeted during the COVID-19 pandemic—but many refineries could come back online quickly with the right assistance.

Davids and her colleagues urged the President to take action in a new resolution, stating: “in order to ensure sufficient refining capacity to reduce fuel prices and prevent fuel shortages in the near term, the President should use authorities granted him by the Defense Production Act of 1950 to provide targeted technical and financial assistance to restart certain idled refineries for a limited time.” The resolution’s focus on a short-term increase in capacity is to address the current price spike facing consumers while also avoiding long-term impacts on the climate, noting that “restarting idled American oil refineries for a limited time could reduce gas prices and cool inflationary pressures without endangering our climate goals.”

The full text of the resolution is available here.

Davids has been focused on lowering costs for Kansans, including gas prices:

• Last week, she successfully pushed the IRS to increase a tax break for small business owners and self-employed folks who rely on a vehicle for their business. Watch on KMBC.
• She voted to crack down on price gouging by oil and gas companies, who have made record profits this year, despite rising gas prices.
• She introduced legislation to suspend the federal gas tax through the end of the year, saving Kansans 18 cents per gallon at a time when gas prices are reaching new highs. Watch her video on the bill, which includes guardrails to make sure savings are passed on to consumers.
• After voting for bipartisan sanctions against Russian oil, she called on President Biden to take immediate action to protect American consumers from uncertainty and rising prices, including by temporarily suspending the federal gas tax.
• Following Davids’ calls to take action on rising gas prices last fall, President Biden released 50 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. He has now authorized the largest release in history: 1 million barrels a day for six months.
• Davids remains committed to long-term energy and inflation solutions, releasing an inflation action plan last week with the New Democrat Coalition that’s been called Congress’s “best inflation plan yet.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

Davids continues her work to lower costs for Kansans, even while working from home

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

Representative Sharice Davids released the following statement after the House Natural Resources Committee advanced her bipartisan bill, H.R. 5444 the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act, through markup:

“I would not be here today if not for the resilience of my ancestors and those who came before me—including my grandparents, who are survivors of federal Indian Boarding Schools. I am glad that my colleagues recognize the importance of investigating what happened to our relatives and working towards a brighter path for the next seven generations. I will continue working across the aisle to gather bipartisan support for this important legislation.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

Amid reports that the White House is considering a federal gas tax holiday, Representative Sharice Davids renewed her call for immediate relief at the gas pump. In addition to pushing this immediate action, she hasrepeatedlyurged the President and Congressional leadership to move forward on long-term energy and inflation solutions, including fixing our supply chains, making more goods in America, and investing in our clean energy economy.

“We are clearly in extraordinary circumstances, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the lingering impacts of the pandemic continue to drive prices up at the pump. In Congress, I’m working on long-term solutions—but the time is now for immediate relief,” said Davids. “I urge the President to suspend the federal gas tax and give Kansans extra breathing room in their budgets.”

Davids has been focused on lowering costs for Kansans, including gas prices:

• Last week, she successfully pushed the IRS to increase a tax break for small business owners and self-employed folks who rely on a vehicle for their business. Watch on KMBC.
• She voted to crack down on price gouging by oil and gas companies, who have made record profits this year, despite rising gas prices.
• She introduced legislation to suspend the federal gas tax through the end of the year, saving Kansans 18 cents per gallon at a time when gas prices are reaching new highs. Watch her video on the bill, which includes guardrails to make sure savings are passed on to consumers.
• After voting for bipartisan sanctions against Russian oil, she called on President Biden to take immediate action to protect American consumers from uncertainty and rising prices, including by temporarily suspending the federal gas tax.
• Following Davids’ calls to take action on rising gas prices last fall, President Biden released 50 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. He has now authorized the largest release in history: 1 million barrels a day for six months.
• Davids remains committed to long-term energy and inflation solutions, releasing an inflation action plan last week with the New Democrat Coalition that’s been called Congress’s “best inflation plan yet.”

For more information on Davids’ work to lower costs and reduce inflation, and for resources to find lower prices on gas, groceries, housing and more, visit davids.house.gov/lowercosts.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

Today, after voting for bipartisan legislation that averts a government shutdown, Representative Sharice Davids released the following statement calling for further bipartisan cooperation to keep the government open in the long term.

“This bipartisan legislation averts a costly government shutdown that would have drastic consequences on Kansas families, small business owners, and our entire economy. I am encouraged that congressional leaders from both parties and chambers are coming together to find a commonsense solution that keeps our government open for the long term and protects Kansans’ ability to support their families. Bipartisanship is the only way forward and I’m committed to working with anyone to safeguard Kansans’ jobs, health, and financial security.”

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives also passed legislation to extend the deadline to fully reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration, a main priority for Davids. She is working to help pass bipartisan legislation that improves customer protections and accessibility while flying, increases America’s aviation safety standards, and strengthens domestic aviation workforce and manufacturing.

Background:

Following today’s passage of the continuing resolution (CR), U.S. House of Representative appropriators will negotiate six individual appropriation bills by March 8, followed by an additional six before March 22. Congressional leadership has affirmed that all 12 bills will adhere to the bipartisan spending limits agreed upon by Republicans and Democrats in both June 2023 and January 2024.

Davids continues to push for a bipartisan agreement to keep the government open past the new deadlines set in today’s legislation. A shutdown would have serious impacts on Kansas families and the overall U.S. economy. Americans would face disruptions to important benefits, service members would not be compensated, many small businesses would have to alter their operations, and federal workers would be furloughed and go unpaid. Specifically:

• It’s estimated the five-week partial government shutdown in 2018-2019 reduced economic output by $11 billion in the following two quarters and the 2013 full government shutdown reduced GDP growth by $20 billion.
• Kansans receiving Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits would experience service delays, including disruptions to verifying benefits and the issuance of new cards.
• There are currently 19,977 federal workers in Kansas who may be furloughed. A bipartisan report found that the last three government shutdowns led to the equivalent of 56,940 years in lost productivity from federal workers.
• Small businesses may encounter delays in receiving loans from the federal government. Moody’s Analytics estimated that the 2018-2019 shutdown delayed more than $2 billion in loans to small businesses.
• The distribution of important food assistance programs, including SNAP, could be disrupted, leaving some Kansan — including women, children, and the elderly — without nutritious food.
• Travelers could face longer lines at airport security checkpoints and flight delays during a shutdown, which would also delay passport processing times even further.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

Today, Representative Sharice Davids’ bipartisan bill, known as the Native American Entrepreneurial Opportunity Act, passed the U.S. House with strong bipartisan support. Davids, an enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation and member of the U.S. House Small Business Committee, introduced this legislation alongside Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ-02) to enhance the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of Native American Affairs (ONAA). The bill now awaits passage in the Senate where it advanced out of committee last year.

“Our economy depends on the success of our small businesses. That’s especially true in tribal communities where Native-owned businesses are crucial employers on reservations and their surrounding areas,” said Davids. “I’m proud that my bill, which breaks down barriers for Native entrepreneurs, passed the House with strong bipartisan support, showing us all that support for Native communities goes beyond party lines.”

“While tribal entrepreneurs should have the ability to access SBA’s programs just like anyone else, these communities don’t currently experience adequate access or outreach. It’s essential that they receive specialized expertise to assist them in navigating the unique complexities of running a business on a reservation — complexities mostly created by the federal government,” said Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ-02). “As the representative for over half of Arizona’s tribes, I’m pleased to see the House pass our bill, which would serve tribal citizens of AZ-02 well.”

WATCH: Davids speaks on the House floor about the importance of supporting Native entrepreneurs

Currently, the ONAA has a valuable but limited mission: to support Native American entrepreneurs, conduct outreach with tribal communities, and connect Native business owners with SBA resources. However, because the current SBA budget does not include explicit funding for the ONAA, the office can only support a small staff and can be unilaterally disbanded.

The Native American Entrepreneurial Opportunity Act would codify the ONAA into federal law, establishing an Assistant Administrator role to oversee its operations and report directly to SBA leadership. It would also create a better government-to-government working relationship with tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations. ONAA would also be able to expand its grant-making ability, conduct tribal consultation, utilize SBA’s entrepreneurial and contracting programs, and provide training, counseling, and technical assistance.

“Native enterprises are vital to the economies for Native communities, which in turn, are necessary to provide critical community services,” said Quinton Carroll, Executive Director, Native American Contractors Association. “The Native American Entrepreneurial Opportunity Act will elevate the Office of Native American Affairs and support economic development and these services for Native communities.”

“The Native American Entrepreneurial Opportunity Act passed the House of Representatives because of the leadership and tireless efforts of Rep. Davids,” said Chris James, President and CEO, The National Center. “As a former Associate Administrator at SBA, I understand the need for Indian Country to have an advocate within the agency who has a direct line to the Administrator. The unique economic and entrepreneurial needs of our community – and government-to-government consultation – must always be a priority at SBA. I look forward to working with Rep. Davids, House co-sponsors, and Senate champions to ensure this vital bipartisan legislation becomes law in 2024 so that, in years to come, Indian Country will have a seat at the head table in an agency that plays a critical role in boosting tribal economies.”

“Ho-Chunk Inc. applauds the passage of this important bi-partisan legislation, and commends Representative Davids’ for her commitment to advancing it,” said Annette Hamilton, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Ho-Chunk Inc. “The SBA Office of Native American Affairs is a critical partner to tribally-owned entities, and ensures that decisions made within the Administration are conducted with consultation and culturally-tailored solutions based on tribal sovereignty. Tribally-owned entities are essential economic drivers for tribal governments that have long been disadvantaged, so having a permanent position at SBA will serve to enhance continuity in the programs that have been so effective for members of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. We look forward to the instrumental role this office will serve.”

“Navancio has seen firsthand how the SBA 8(a) program has supported the growth of Native American-owned businesses,” said Navancio executive leadership. “The technical resources provided by the Office of Native American Affairs enable Navancio to not only provide high-value services to federal agencies but also ensure that Native American workers are provided with unique opportunities to enter into the high-skilled workforce. As an organization that has helped over helped numerous tribes break into high-skilled industries within the federal contracting space, we at Navancio applaud the House passage of the Native American Entrepreneurial Opportunity Act, which will encourage Indian Small Business Economic Enterprise (ISBEE) companies like ours to better recruit Native American talent and promote economic development in tribal reservations. We stand with Representative Davids and urge the Senate to swiftly pass this vital legislation.”

Earlier this week, Davids urged the U.S. Department of Interior to recommit to enforcing a rule that levels the playing field for Native businesses seeking federal contracts. Davids’ additional work to support small business owners includes pushing for oversight of relief programs and urging the SBA to address fraud and protect small business owners in need. As a member of the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access, she has also focused on shoring up supply chains for small- and medium-sized manufacturers here at home and reducing operating costs.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

Last week, Representative Sharice Davids led a group of New Democrat Coalition (New Dems) members on a visit to the Port of Long Beach, one of the biggest and busiest ports in the country. The group saw how the port’s efforts to clear COVID-19 backlogs have improved supply chains nationwide and helped lower costs for hardworking families and small businesses. Davids serves as a Vice Chair for the New Dems, one of the largest caucuses in the House of Representatives dedicated to advancing innovative, inclusive, and forward-looking policies through bipartisan collaboration.

“As Vice Chair of the New Dems, I led a group of my colleagues on a visit to the Port of Long Beach to learn how the flow of goods there influences prices back home and to understand their efforts to address the fentanyl crisis,” said Davids. “I’m grateful to port leadership, Customs and Border Patrol, and the longshoreman for showing us how they swiftly recovered from the effects of the pandemic and continue to strengthen our economy and national security. There’s still more work needed to bring down costs and keep Kansans safe, so I’m going to leverage what I learned at the port to make life more affordable, bolster our local workforce, and restore order at the border.”

On the visit, Davids met with Port of Long Beach leadership, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents, and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU). The group discussed the recovery of national supply chains since the COVID-19 pandemic, how the port uses state-of-the-art technologies to get goods to market faster and prevent harmful substances — like fentanyl — from entering the country illegally, and how union workers have remained skilled and adaptable to strengthen supply chains.

As the nation’s third-largest port, the Port of Long Beach’s influence touches local economies nationwide. This visit will help Davids address the challenges faced by hardworking families in Kansas, with the insights gained guiding future efforts to lower costs and enhance economic opportunities at home. During the pandemic, the port saw massive logjams of container vessels due to climbing consumer sales, worker shortages, lack of truck drivers, and a slowdown of transportation hubs. Supply chains have strengthened as the amount of units moving through the port have begun to return to normal, easing economic pressures nationwide and helping to lower inflation.

 

Davids also met with CBP agents to discuss security at the port and their efforts to halt the illegal smuggling of fentanyl at our borders by utilizing new state-of-the-art technologies. Davids and her colleagues identified what is going right at the port and how those strategies can be used at the southern border. Davids, a member of the bipartisan Fentanyl Prevention Caucus, has been a vocal advocate around fentanyl and opioid death prevention. She has hosted multiple summits with law enforcement, health care workers, and education professionals on combatting the fentanyl epidemic and has taken a number of legislative actions based on the specific needs of the Kansas Third District.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

Today, during Black History Month, Representative Sharice Davids joined local providers, health care advocates, and parents to discuss America’s worsening maternal mortality crisis, specifically among women of color. Davids reaffirmed her support for increased research and attention to maternal health care and spoke on her legislation to improve data collection on maternal mortality and morbidity. Between 2016 and 2020, 105 Kansas women died while pregnant or within a year of pregnancy, with two-thirds of those deaths being women of color.

The United States is the only industrialized country with an increasing maternal mortality rate, and the crisis is most severe for people of color. Black mothers are dying at 3 to 4 times the rate of their white counterparts, and Native Americans are more than twice as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes. According to NurtureKC, this trend holds true for Kansas. Wyandotte County in particular has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the state at 83.5 deaths per 10,000 live births.

“The U.S. is falling desperately short on the issue of maternal health, and frankly, it is shameful — but we can’t fix a problem we don’t fully understand,” said Davids. “I’m grateful to have the opportunity to listen and learn from Kansas physicians and mothers who are on the front lines of this crisis. Through conversations like the one we had today and legislation like my Data to Save Moms Act, we can take informed action and ultimately save lives.”

“Kansas has one of the highest Black maternal mortality rates in the first 42 days postpartum,” said Dr. Sharla Smith, Founder and Director, Kansas Birth Equity Network. “Rep. Sharice Davids was instrumental in allocating more than 2 million dollars to address these disparities. Community conversations are useful for identifying additional strategies to reduce these disparities.”

At today’s event, Davids received a tour of Vibrant Health and led a conversation with health care professionals and Kansas mothers. Attendees included the Kansas Birth Equity Network, Kansas Maternal Mortality Review Committee, University of Kansas Medical Center, Nuture KC, and Dope Dads KCK. The group discussed maternal health trends in Kansas, impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal care, and supports needed from the federal government to help fight maternal morbidity.

Last year, Davids reintroduced legislation, known as the Data to Save Moms Act, to understand the root causes of this emergency by improving data collection on maternal mortality and morbidity. Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs) — consisting of various experts such as gynecologists, forensic pathologists, and community groups — operate in states and localities across the country to examine cases of death within a year of pregnancy. This legislation aims to improve their data collection and broaden the scope of maternal health research by:

• Establishing a grant program to promote representative community engagement in MMRCs in states across the country.
• Commissioning the first-ever comprehensive study to understand the scope of the Native American maternal health crisis.
• Providing funding to establish the first Tribal MMRC.
• Conducting a comprehensive review of maternal health data collection, emphasizing the importance of listening to the stories of pregnant people.
• Investing in maternal health research at Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), and Asian American and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AAPISIs).

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

SHAWNEE, KS – Today, Representative Sharice Davids visited an urban farm in Shawnee to speak with minority farmers during Black History Month. The group discusses certain U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs that help connect underserved producers to capital assistance and other resources — ultimately to increase the number of minority-owned and operated agribusinesses in Kansas. Davids, a member of the U.S. House Agricultural Committee, is currently working to craft a bipartisan Farm Bill that supports all Kansas farmers, producers, and ranchers.

“Kansas is leading the nation in agriculture and that would not be possible without the contributions of local minority-owned agribusinesses,” said Davids. “As we celebrate Black History Month, I enjoyed visiting Adams Urban Farm, a Black-owned operation, to learn more about the successes and challenges facing historically underserved farmers and ranchers in the Kansas Third. Empowering and uplifting Kansas’ diverse agricultural community is crucial for a more inclusive and prosperous future, and I am committed to championing that cause in Congress.”

“We are delighted to further foster our collaboration with Representative Davids,” said JohnElla Holmes, PhD, CEO/President, Kansas Black Farmers Association. “We sincerely value her dedication to actively engage with BIPOC farmers, listening to our concerns and championing our cause. Her visit to one of our urban farms is a testament to her commitment, an honor we deeply cherish. We commend her hands-on approach and tireless endeavor to identify ways to support our community.”

Davids visited Adams Urban Farm, a black-owned agribusiness in Johnson County, and held a discussion with additional minority farmers to discuss their successes and challenges and how she can best serve them in Congress. Davids spoke on her continued support for USDA’s multiple programs benefiting historically underserved farmers and ranchers.

To prepare for the Farm Bill discussion, Davids embarked on a Farm Bill listening tour, where she visited a poultry and livestock operation in Anderson County, a co-op in Franklin County, a goat farm in Miami County, an organic vegetable farm in Johnson County, and an educational community farm in Wyandotte County. Davids also toured a Garnett-based renewable ethanol producer, participated in FFA activities at Spring Hill High School, served a school lunch at Black Bob Elementary in Olathe, spoke with industry leaders on financial support programs for farmers, and toured a dairy farm in Garnett.