NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann held his Reno County town hall meeting Wednesday morning at Sunny's Cafe at Sunshine Meadows in Buhler.
"Government funding, our debt was talked about, the border is on everybody's mind," Mann said. "A lot of other policies coming out of the administration like the 30 by 30 land grab we talked about and how we're pushing back on that. That came up as a question, as did Ukraine funding and other national security issues."
Mann said government funding will be the primary topic when he returns to Washington next week, as well.
"Government funding for a lot of the agencies, expires on March 1," Mann said. "The others expires March 7. This is all funding that expired Sept. 30, has been extended a couple of times. I voted against extending. We can't keep just kicking the can down the field. We've got to address our spending. Those are the things, when we go back to Washington next week, are going to be front and center, as otherwise, we'd be headed towards a government shutdown on March 1 and March 7."
Another issue Mann would like to see dealt with as soon as possible is additional funding for security on the U.S. border with Mexico. There's a bill that the House has already passed that the Senate could take up when it wants, if a serious solution is what the administration desires.
"H.R. 2 is the most comprehensive immigration, border security bill done for decades," Mann said of the bill that passed last year with only Republican support. "It's got to go together. We've got to secure the border. We've got to change our immigration policies. Understand, though, the President could take action today to reinstate remain in Mexico and end catch and release. If he were to do that, the numbers we're seeing at the border would plummet. It wouldn't solve the problem, but it would be a massive step in the right direction. It's very frustrating to me that so far, he's not been willing to do that."
Mann is continuing town hall meetings across Kansas Wednesday and Thursday this week.
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