Senator Marshall: Our Job is to Get the President’s Legislation Done

Senator Marshall Joins KCMO Radio, Pete Mundo

Washington - U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined KCMO Radio's Pete Mundoto discuss legislative priorities following the State of the Union address, the Democrats' unwillingness to stand up for Americans, voter ID, and the challenges facing Kansas farmers.

Click HERE or on the image above for Senator Marshall's full interview.

On how the State of the Union will affect priorities:

"Hey Pete, well, good morning. You know, I think results, right? So I think the President gave us some action points on his priorities for the election. So my job as a U.S. Senator is to get legislation through to help hardworking Americans. So number one, he said we need to get the SAVE Act done, so I will be locked in on that. And then number two, he talked about the Great American Healthcare Plan, and I'm locked in on that. Certainly, a lot of that is the legislation I've worked on for years. So I think that we need to turn it into results in many ways, so I think that's my job, anyway, is to lock it in. And then you think about an election this November, I still think it's early, I think we got to get the economy right. We still have a group of people out there that are not doing great in the economy. Macro level looks really good, you know, you look at the numbers: good economic growth, wage growth up, the average job last year increased $1,400 of real wages over inflation. So we got some good growing parts, but we got to bring these young folks that are struggling out there, that can't afford to buy a home, we've got to bring them into this fast lane economy as well."

On the Democrats unwillingness to stand up for Americans:

"Well, I think that's what I expected. You know, the Democrats sat on their hands if you talk about securing elections, securing borders, making your family safe. I mean, they're very consistent that they are the defund the police party now, they're against law and order. So I'm baffled as well, as you can tell, Pete, but I think that's who they are. Notice when they stand on their hands, notice that they have no solutions. Plenty of criticism for the President, but when's the last time you heard a Democrat say, besides more federal spending? How do they fix health care? More federal spending - borrow more money from your grandchildren to save health care. So I'm not surprised they sat on their hands if we talk about securing elections or making your family safe."

On Team USA and the Medal of Honor recipients:

"It was. I'm not the biggest hockey fan, but I did watch about two-thirds of the game, the most important two-thirds of it as well. Just to see the raw energy and excitement of these young men, it is effervescent. I don't know what else to say. And I was very, very close to the person who received his medal. What was more electric to me, Pete, though, was seeing two people receive the Medal of Honor. The one story, General 'Raizin' Caine had told us the story behind closed doors about the helicopter pilot who got shot three times, still sticks the landing, and saves the mission. And I don't know how he lives, how he didn't bleed to death as well. So those are certainly the two electric moments, and I'm just honored to be part of it."

On passing the SAVE Act:

"So number one, and I have thought about this a lot, I hope the national media asks the Democrats, 'Why are you voting against secure elections? Why are you voting against voter ID at an election?' And get them on the record. And I think there's a much better chance of trying to push 10 of them over than there is of us breaking the filibuster. And you know the method that they're describing of getting rid of the zombie filibuster, where you don't have to be there, making you stay on the floor. So all 47 of the Democrats could speak twice before we would break this type of filibuster, and, I mean, that could tie up the floor for months. So I wish I could just say, 'Oh, I'm really optimistic that we can break this dam.' But it will not be easy, I think it would take several months. Instead, I think we should be locked in and be asking our friends across the aisle, 'Why are you against safe and secure elections?'

On working with the Democrats on voter ID:

"So there you have a real solution, Pete. So, if I was a Democrat saying, 'Okay, we agree,' if they truly agree on the goal that we want, safe and secure elections, if they feel like that's an impediment, if it's an impediment to get an ID, then great. Then let's make this bill, make it better. You know, the devil's in the details, but I think that we would be open to that as Republicans. But right now, they're a hell no, they won't even consider it, they won't talk about it. They won't, because they know that this will hurt them, right? Mean, there's only really one reason why they're against this, it's because some of them, many of them, would not get reelected. But I think it's a great idea, and I'm all for it, but I think, you know, that would be the olive branch that I would listen to, if they would come forward with it."

On his State of the Union guest:

"Yeah, so a good friend, Mr. Tom Willis. He's a farmer, a rancher, and runs an ethanol plant out in southwest Kansas as well. So I think in very many ways, he embodies so many things about American agriculture. He's a self-made man, has a wonderful family, and Chris created hundreds of jobs in Kansas - I would say probably 400 or 500 jobs he's created. He helps farmers get a premium for their corn, and he'll be leading the nation as we start converting corn, soybeans, and sorghum into jet fuel."

On the challenges facing Kansas farmers:

"So the real challenge in agriculture right now is input costs; that fertilizers and chemicals have went up significantly. And President Trump has taken the tariffs off the fertilizers coming into the country. Look under her policies, under Joe Biden's policies, farmers had two years in a row of record drop in net farm income; he did not even try to negotiate one trade deal. Look, our exports are up, and President Trump has completed 10 trade deals. We did a mini farm bill, a reconciliation bill, that she voted against. Our farm bill increased crop insurance and increased Title I funding. A big input cost for farmers are interest rates, so you know, the average farmer in Kansas has a million-dollar operation loan, on top of a loan for a million-dollar combine, and a $800,000 tractor. So when interest rates come down even one point, that's significant. Under Joe Biden, we saw interest rates for farmers go from like 10-9% on these types of loans as well. So look, I think the farmers are turning the corner; they do have increased net farm income compared to Joe Biden's policies, but we are struggling. When American farmers make money is when we make a value-added product; when we turn corn into beef. And by the way, those beef markets, one of the reasons they're doing so well - it is the backbone of the ag economy, the cattle ranchers have done the best they've done in my entire lifetime - but this is a result of the trade agreements we did with Japan and South Korea under President Trump 45. So it's the input costs. President Trump has helped with $40 million of Farm Aid, exports are up, and he's got 10 trade deals done. We're now working on those input costs."

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