Boyda on Tankers & Medicare

Snippets from press releases from Boyda's official office.

On the Senate bucking the Bush Admininstration and blocking disastorous cuts to Medicare reimbursement to doctors:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following the lead of the United States House of Representatives, the Senate today voted by a wide margin (69 – 30) to pass the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA).

Congresswoman Nancy Boyda (Kansas Second District) said "This is an extremely important piece of legislation. I am glad that, at the end of the day, the Senate put partisan politics aside and voted to protect health care in America."

[...]

The passage of H.R. 6331 reverses a 10.6% cut in Medicare reimbursements to doctors and other providers that went into effect last week after the Senate failed to take action. It helps ensure patients' access to therapy services and protects pathology laboratories and ambulance service in rural areas.

Senator Sam Brownback voted against it- again- and the President has previously promised to veto the legislation.

On the Pentagon's decision to reopen bids on the Air Force's new tanker:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Nancy Boyda (Kansas Second District) issued the following statement in the wake of today's announcement by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to reopen the bidding process for a $35 million tanker contract:

"I am so pleased the Pentagon has decided to heed the decision of the Government Accountability Office and reopen bidding for the tanker contract. This is the right thing to do. I have said from the beginning that it just makes no sense for America to outsource our ability to defend our nation. With every contract we send overseas, we lose our capacity to build for our own military. This concern of outsourcing our national security remains at the forefront. It is important to get this right – for the protection of our country and America's economy."

You & I aren't the only ones who should buy American.

Boeing, Emmergency Supplemental & More on the Poll

Three things: Boyda's congressional office sent out two press releases over the last few days, but in all the excitement with the Boyda & the Jenkins poll, we didn't get them posted.

First, Boyda's response to the GAO decision to sustain an appeal made by Boeing regarding the awarding of a contract for new tankers.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) today announced its decision to sustain an appeal by Boeing over a tanker contract awarded earlier this year to EADS, the European Aerospace conglomerate and Northrop Grumman. Congresswoman Nancy Boyda (Kansas Second District) called the GAO's decision "the right thing to do – for national security and for America's economy."

[...]

Boyda said "I am extremely pleased the GAO has called for the Air Force to reopen contract discussions, re-evaluate the revised proposals and make a new source selection decision. After all, it just makes no sense for America to outsource our ability to defend our nation. In World War II, our nation's manufacturers turned on a dime to produce the planes and trucks we need to keep America safe. With every contract we send overseas, we lose our capacity to build for our own military."

"Please know," added Boyda, "I will continue the fight to help protect our nation's security and jobs in Kansas when it comes to awarding military contracts."

Boyda also issued a statement regarding her reasons behind supporting the new emergency supplemental bill containing funds for the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan, along with new monies for domestic programs.

Congresswoman Nancy Boyda (Kansas Second District) announced today that the U.S. House of Representatives, in a bipartisan show of support, voted for an Emergency Supplemental Funding Bill.

Boyda said "Kansans should be pleased that my colleagues from both sides of the aisle came together in voting for this bill. It addresses many important issues for the Second District of Kansas, including funding for a much needed new hospital at Fort Riley, assistance for disaster stricken areas, and an extension of unemployment benefits for the jobless."

The Supplemental contains $161.8 billion to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through the summer of 2009, as well as $2.65 billion in disaster relief funds for areas of the Midwest hit by tornadoes and flooding. It extends unemployment compensation by 13 weeks for Kansas workers unable to find jobs because of the ailing economy. It expands the GI Bill to provide improved education benefits for veterans and allows veterans to transfer education benefits to their families.

And, finally, another new analysis piece about the new poll showing Congresswoman Nancy Boyda polling substaintially ahead of her Republican challengers & with approval ratings higher than any other elected official in Kansas.

More on Boyda's effort to save taxpayer money, free up space at Forbes Field

We posted on Monday about Congresswoman Nancy Boyda's efforts to save Kansas taxpapers $1.1 million by allowing the Air Force to retire unused tankers at Forbes Field. We have more today from a piece from the Topeka Capital-Journal.

The aircraft have been parked on the ramp at Topeka's Forbes Field since last fall as the Kansas Air National Guard moves toward using only new versions of the tankers, KC-135Rs. Ground crews have been keeping the old planes, KC-135Es, in a federally mandated "warm ready" state in case of emergency, even though the Kansas Guard has no one certified to fly them.

[...]

The 190th Air Refueling Wing based at Forbes flies 12 of the newer KC-135s, making space limited for operations, said Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, adjutant general for Kansas.

"We want to keep it as open as possible," said Bunting, who approached Rep. Nancy Boyda about accelerating the retirement of tankers.

Boyda, a Democrat representing Kansas' 2nd District, said the decision to keep obsolete tankers made no sense and was wasting resources.

"It has a nationwide impact," Boyda said. "It's time to put them to bed. They've had a very good life."

[...]

Bunting and Boyda said clearing space at Forbes would create more room for current operations or to bring another air mission to Kansas, such as an airlift wing flying cargo planes.

Congresswoman Boyda has worked since she was elected to do what's right for her district, and this is another example of her hearing the needs from people on the ground and creating legislation to help. Not only do Boyda's efforts free up space at Forbes Field, retiring planes no one can fly, she also saves us $1.1 million in Topeka alone.

Boyda saves taxpayers $1.1 million

Great news from Congresswoman Nancy Boyda via the Kansas Democratic Party blog:

On Wednesday, Congresswoman Boyda will join Kansas Adjutant General Todd Bunting to announce the planned retirement of Forbes Field's 12 obsolete KC-135E refueling tankers.

Until this year, the National Guard was required by law to maintain the aircraft, even though they no longer serve any national security purpose. Now, under a provision of the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act requested by Congresswoman Boyda, the planes are scheduled for retirement.

The move is expected to save taxpayers at least $1.1 million per year.

We covered this story once before when it was just in the very beginning stages, and we're glad to have the chance to announce now that Boyda's plan has been approved.

As we said in our previous post:

According to the article, eight of those KC-135Es are currently located at Forbes Field in Topeka, with four more expected to arrive soon. The planes are no longer needed, but current federal law requires the planes to be kept at "warm-ready" status- resulting in an expenditure of $1.1 million annually in Topeka alone.

And, just so no one says anything about this bring "anti-military," the Guard thinks it's a good idea, too.

Sharon Watson, spokeswoman for the Kansas National Guard, said the act should result in freed-up space and money at Forbes.

"We have a number of planes stored at 190th Air Refueling Wing that would be impossible to retire given the former legislation," she said. "We're very pleased to see this bill pass."

Great job, Congresswoman Boyda!

Tankers, prisons & NAFTA

A quick rundown of three news items relating to Congresswoman Nancy Boyda from this last week:

First, a piece from the Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Boyda added an amendment on to the National Defense Authorization Act "to allow 48 of the 85 KC-135Es in the country to be retired immediately. The remaining 37 will be decommissioned as newer model replacements become available."

According to the article, eight of those KC-135Es are currently located at Forbes Field in Topeka, with four more expected to arrive soon. The planes are no longer needed, but current federal law requires the planes to be kept at "warm-ready" status- resulting in an expenditure of $1.1 million annually in Topeka alone.

And, just so no one says anything about this bring "anti-military," the Guard thinks it's a good idea, too.

Sharon Watson, spokeswoman for the Kansas National Guard, said the act should result in freed-up space and money at Forbes.

"We have a number of planes stored at 190th Air Refueling Wing that would be impossible to retire given the former legislation," she said. "We're very pleased to see this bill pass."

Next, a story in the St. Louis Examiner says Boyda and Senator Sam Brownback are both pushing for a new federal prison to be built in Leavenworth.

Rep. Nancy Boyda, D-Kan., who represents the Leavenworth area and has also lobbied for a new facility, said residents are enthusiastic about the possibility of gaining a new prison.

"Prisons are the foundation of Leavenworth's economy, and a new facility would certainly strengthen that foundation," Boyda said.

Finally, some more national exposure for Congresswoman Boyda's NAFTA Accountability Act from David Sirota.