President Bush Gave Commencement Address at Greensburg High School

On Sunday, U.S. Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Goddard) joined President George W. Bush, Senators Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts in Greensburg,  where the President gave the commencement address at Greensburg High School.

“The day was very fitting, as it was exactly one year ago that a deadly tornado ravaged the entire town,” Tiahrt said. “I am pleased the President made a trip back out to South-central Kansas to see the progress made by this small community in just one year's time.”

Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site

On Friday, Tiahrt and his wife, Vicki, took a behind-the-scenes tour of the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site and were able to visit with several students from Kim Curran’s eighth grade class from Sudan who were also visiting the site.

“They were inquisitive youth, and I am glad they were on hand to learn more about this wonderful site,” Tiahrt said. “The Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site is a wonderful facility that helps educate people about the famous Supreme Court case that has had such a pivotal impact on our educational system.

“I hope more area students take advantage of this resource."

Tiahrt also spent time visiting with Cheryl Brown Henderson, President and CEO of the Brown Foundation for Educational Equity, Excellence and Research, and met with Brown Foundation board members to talk about ongoing federal funding for the Park Service.

“As the Ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Interior and Environment Subcommittee, I want to ensure that national historic locations, such as Brown v. Board of Education National Historic site, have proper funding for many years to come,” Tiahrt said.

Cover the Uninsured Week

Last week (April 27-May 3), was Cover the Uninsured Week, an initiative that draws attention to the 47 million Americans who have no health insurance.

“That is 47 million too many people who are uninsured,” Tiahrt said. “That is why I am co-sponsoring three pro-consumer bills aimed at making high-quality health care affordable and accessible to all Americans.”

• The Affordable Health Care Expansion Act (H.R. 5784) will make pre-payable, refundable tax credits available to all Americans regardless of their employer or employment status.

“By providing tax credits for health insurance, we will increase healthcare accessibility by effectively lowering the cost of coverage,” Tiahrt said.

• The Making Health Care More Affordable Act is another pro-consumer healthcare bill that combines six core reforms.

“Each of these reforms will provide more choices and freedoms for the consumer through tax credits, association health plans, interstate insurance purchasing power, health savings accounts, reduction of frivolous lawsuit abuse, and incentives for new health information technology,” Tiahrt said.

• The Community Choice Act (H.R. 1621) will empower individuals that are eligible for assisted living services with the choice of deciding where and how institutional services are provided.

“Instead of being locked into a one-size-fits-all system, H.R. 1621 provides more assisted living options for those who need them,” Tiahrt said. “We have the best quality health care in the world, and we should find workable, bipartisan solutions to make sure all Americans have access to that system. Working together on a bipartisan basis is important if we are going to help create affordable and stable health care for all Americans.”