Kansas GOP delegation lauds Trump's agenda, Democrat questions president's work on inflation
U.S. Rep. Derek Schmidt, R-Kansas, said President Donald Trump's speech to a joint session of Congress illustrated what had been accomplished by the GOP president less than two months into the second term. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)
TOPEKA — The five Republicans in the state's congressional delegation praised President Donald Trump's address to Congress for his ability to match campaign rhetoric with executive action, while the state's lone Democrat argued the president's approach would drive up the cost of living in Kansas.
The delegation's freshman, Republican U.S. Rep. Derek Schmidt of the 2nd District, said Trump's work to build the country's border-security apparatus, reshuffle the energy portfolio, shrink the federal payroll and curb government spending was a tribute to the president's leadership and a reflection of former President Joe Biden's inaction on key issues.
'After four years of weakness, strength is back in the White House and President Trump is already delivering on his promise of a safe and prosperous nation for the American people,' Schmidt said. 'We're slashing red tape, taking power back from unelected bureaucrats, and working hard every day to make the changes Kansans expect us to make.'
His statement in response to the president's Tuesday speech didn't mention the role played by billionaire Elon Musk, an unelected Trump appointee who assumed control of the new Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE. Musk is in charge of the administration's campaign to dismiss federal employees, dismantle federal agencies and sever federal expenditures without direct approval of Congress.
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, the 3rd District Democrat, said she welcomed the president's commitment to support law enforcement, address the fentanyl crisis and boost America's competitiveness.
'However, while many Americans chose the president based on his promises to lower costs, his politically motivated, reckless actions have had the opposite effect — driving up expenses for hard-working Kansans while favoring billionaires,' Davids said. 'His new tariffs will increase the price of gas, groceries and other necessities as large companies pass higher costs onto families, forcing them to pay thousands more each year.'
She said Trump's attacks on bipartisan manufacturing legislation would threaten good-paying jobs and economic growth.
'I'm focused on finding real solutions to make life more affordable, including by protecting Social Security and Medicare, and will continue working with anyone to make it happen,' Davids said. 'I hope the president will join me in that bipartisan effort, but rest assured, I'll keep standing up against extreme policies that hurt hard-working folks back home in Kansas.'
U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Republican, said in a statement it was obvious Trump dedicated himself to delivering on promises made during the 2024 campaign, which emphasized the difficulty many Americans had with inflation.
'His administration is securing our border, deporting criminal aliens, eliminating waste, fraud and abuse through the DOGE initiative, strengthening our economic position across the world through reciprocal tariffs and trade agreements, and pushing for an end to the destructive war in Ukraine,' Marshall said.
In an apparent response to Trump's decision to upend the U.S. Agency for International Development and damage a conduit for U.S. farm commodities, Marshall said he was confident the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. trade representative would open new markets for exports.
'Kansans will benefit directly from these amazing America First achievements,' Marshall said. 'With the confirmation of fighters for rural America like Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, we will secure new markets for our hard-working farmers and ranchers to export their goods and ensure that American taxpayer dollars serve American interests and workers first.'
Republican U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran cheered Trump's reinstatement of reasonable border policies and allocation to U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents the tools to apprehend migrants without proper documentation, arrest traffickers of illegal drugs and slow the flow of fentanyl.
'Congress must work to pass legislation that provides the resources needed to sustain a secure border through permanent infrastructure, increased manpower and cutting-edge technology,' Moran said.
U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, the Wichita-area Republican, said Trump was in the process of 'renewing the American dream.' His post-speech statement said the evidence of Trump's prowess was a decline in unauthorized border crossings, targeting of government waste by DOGE and movement by companies to increase investments in the domestic economy.
U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, the Republican from the rural 1st District, said Trump was delivering on pledges made to voters to win back the presidency after losing reelection in 2020.
'In the 43 days since President Trump took office, he has done more to protect our country and get our nation back on track than President Biden did in four years,' Mann said.
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Gradually increase the Social Security payroll tax rate to 6.5% over six years Under current law, the Social Security payroll tax rate is 6.2% for workers and their employers. But gradually raising that figure would eliminate a portion of the long-term deficit. For example, increasing thetax rate by 0.05% annually over a six-year period would eliminate 15% of the 75-year funding shortfall, according to the University of Maryland. Now that I've discussed two possible changes, let's step back and look at the big picture. There are basically three ways to resolve Social Security's financial problems: (1) increase revenue, (2) reduce costs or (3) some combination of the first two options. The changes discussed so far would increase revenue, but the next two changes would cut benefits. However, they are more subtle cuts than the 23% across-the-board reduction that would follow trust fund depletion. 3. 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