Obama’s Speech Does Little To Sway KC Area Members of Congress September 11, 2013

President Barack Obama’s Tuesday night speech on US involvement in Syria did not move many Member of Congress from Kansas and Missouri.
Missouri Democrat Claire McCaskill, who is an ally of President Obama, says the President made “an important case” for why Syria is a threat to the U-S. McCaskill, however, has doubts.
“But, I also continue to weigh the possible consequences of military action. Over the coming days, I will continue to engage with my colleagues, evaluate classified information, and monitor a situation which continues to evolve on a daily basis,” said McCaskill in a Tuesday night statement after the speech.
Ks-3 Congressman Kevin Yoder told KMBC TV Wednesday morning he remains opposed to a U-S strike.
East Kansas Republican Lynn Jenkins took note of the string of developments Tuesday involving a potential Russian element to settle the crisis.
“However, while I am open to evolving diplomatic solutions, I remain unconvinced injecting our military into the middle of a violent civil war is in America’s best interest,” Jenkins said.
Kansas Senator Pat Roberts issued a statement after the President came to CapitolHill to seek seek support.
Roberts says during the August recess, “not as ingle Kansan” told him they supported a Syrian strike by the U-S. Roberts is very skeptical of the possibility of a diplomatic settlement.
““There is nothing I trust about the UN, Russia, or the Assad regime. By offering this diplomatic path, we are simply providing a delayed mechanism for the president to pursue his goal of a military strike when the regime does not comply. At that time, I believe Kansans, and all Americans, will feel the same as they do today– opposed to military strikes in Syria,” Roberts said in remarks before the speech.
Wichita Congressman Mike Pompeo is also doubtful.
““I am pleased that calls for a more robust strike against Syria have met with the possible outcome of the remove of chemical weapons from Assad. I hope this works, but I am always skeptical when Vladimir Putin is making an offer to help. Regardless, I remain convinced that the only way to assure Americans’ safety is by implementing a strategic and integrated plan that does more than simply ‘shoot across the bow,” Pompeo said

Four Area Reps Want Congressional Debate Before Syrian Strike August 29, 2013

Four members of the Kansas and Missouri Congressional delegations have signed a letter to President Obama calling for Congressional debate before any military strike against Syria.
The four are Rep. Kevin Yoder Ks-3. (Johnson & Wyandotte County in suburban Kansas City); Rep. Lynn Jenkins Ks-2 (Eastern Kansas); Rep. Billy Long Mo-7 (SW Missouri); Rep. Jason Smith Mo-8 (SE Missouri).
The letters says “Engaging our military when no direct threat to the United states exists,” violates the conditions of the use of military force under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, according to the letter.
More than 100 members of Congress, including 18 Democrats, signed the letter to Obama.
It says if the president thinks military action is necessary, Congress can reconvene quickly at his request for a debate.
The letters says Congress is “willing to share the burden of decisions” that may be needed in what the Representatives call ‘the quickly escalating Syrian conflict”.

Yoder Opposes Syrian Intervention August 29, 2013

KC Star:
Rep. Kevin Yoder says the United States should not use its military to punish the Syrian government for the alleged use of chemical weapons.

Yoder, the 3rd district Kansas Republican, met with The Star’s editorial board Wednesday.

“I don’t think the president’s made the case for military intervention,” he said.

“There are atrocities going on that are heartbreaking. But when I talk or listen to my constituents, there is a palpable fatigue with having men and women overseas in harm’s way, in body bags coming back.”
More: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/08/28/4442352/yoder-no-to-syrian-intervention.html

Huelskamp’s Gay Marriage Ban Plan Lacks Kansas Co- Sponsors August 1, 2013

(AP) – A Kansas congressman’s legislation seeking a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage has picked up more support, but not from his Kansas colleagues.

Republican Rep. Tim Huelskamp’s bill has picked up at least 47 co-sponsors in the U.S. House since its introduction a month ago. That includes 20 supporters added in July.

The Hutchinson News reports that absent from the list of co-sponsors are Kansas’ other three House members, all Republicans.

U.S. Rep. Mike Pompeo says he strongly believes in defending traditional marriage and is looking at the amendment carefully. Reps. Kevin Yoder and Lynn Jenkins declined comment.

Huelskamp’s legislation is currently in a subcommittee. He introduced it after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a key provision of the federal Defense of Marriage Act in June

Yoder on House Panel Planning to Slash IRS BY 24% to “Send a Message” July 11, 2013

In what may a page out of their own play book, House Republicans, including Johnson County Congressman Kevin Yoder, are going after the Internal Revenue Service’s money.
Yoder sits on a House Appropriations sub committee that is proposing a $9 billion dollar cut in the IRS budget, a reduction of 24%.
Funding federal agencies is “one tool that Congress can use to ensure that agencies do not continue a pattern of mismanagement,” Yoder said according to the website ‘Politico’.
‘Politco’ also reports House Republicans are trying to block $70 million in scheduled bonuses for IRS employees.
Another provision would provide more money to the IRS wing assigned to make sure tax collectors are doing their jobs.
Earlier this year, when the story broke of IRS operatives looking closely at the tax exempt applications from conservative groups, like various Tea Party organizations, Yoder claimed he had received complaints about the practice a year earlier.
He said IRS executive denied it at the time.
Yoder said at the start of the Tea Party controversy it was time “clean house” at the IRS.
‘Politco’ quotes Yoder as saying the budget cuts are intended to ” send a message…to fix the challenges” at the IRS.
The wave of controversy shook loose other tales damaging the IRS.
those reports include big bonuses being paid out, lavish parties and conferences for IRS employees and expensive video productions.
Thursday, the Kansas City Star reported in 2010, the IRS spent $747,000 for a series of meetings Kansas City.
The article also says the agency spent another $400,000 on hotel rooms in Kansas City for another set of a meetings and conferences at the Sheraton Hotel in the Crown Center district.