By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas United States Senator Jerry Moran understands that the federal government is likely to need to continue to support portions of the economy with further stimulus dollars, but he also knows that bill will eventually come due.
"Certainly, the potential exists, perhaps even the likelihood exists that I will vote for additional assistance," Moran said. "There's lots of people who have slipped through the cracks. There's lots of problems we created that we need to fix. There's some things that we will need to spend money on, particularly related to the virus and getting ourselves in a healthy position, but I'm not willing to just at will, with no restraint, put a lot more money on the backs of the future generations. We're really borrowing this money."
Senator Moran did not make an endorsement of any of his fellow Republicans in their quest to replace his colleague Pat Roberts that begins with the August 4 primary.
"It's not my practice to endorse candidates," Moran said. "My view is that, these candidates that are running for the United States Senate, and I think there are eleven in the Republican primary, which catches my attention, because we seem to talk about three or four, Kansans will get acquainted with them. Many of them are well-known already and Kansans can make up their minds who, in this case, they want to be the Republican nominee, and ultimately in November, who they want to be their United States Senator."
Moran said there is a chance we could see a COVID-19 vaccine in relatively short order, according to what he was told in a Senate hearing.
"There are pretty good reports about the progress that's being made," Moran said. "Of course, a vaccine may be the best solution we have to getting ourselves back to closer to normal. Expectations are that as soon as October or November already trials are starting on a couple of routes of vaccines that are being developed and I hope that we're successful sooner rather than later and that we can have the necessary evidence that the vaccine can make a difference."
Moran also noted that the Senate will be working on re-authorization of funding for the Defense Department after the holiday break.