Kansas Democrats have long been advocates for children and families, especially those in need. That's why we are happy to see the Brownback Administration's recent push for increasing adoptions of children in state care. The Blueprint for Kansas Children and Families, started by House Democrats and Speaker Marvin Barkis,  led to Kansas receiving a generous grant in 1994 from the Kellogg Foundation to reform adoption practices and find homes for these children in state care.  I was privileged to serve as the first Executive Director of Kansas Families for Kids, the program funded by Kellogg that changed the face of adoption in Kansas. While we frequently disagree with many of Gov. Brownback's policies, moving children from foster care and into permanent families is one place where we've found common ground and we can work together. Follow the link below to find out more.

 Joan Wagnon, State Party Chair
 
http://www.srs.ks.gov/agency/cfs/Pages/default.aspx

 Mr. Huelskamp,

    Your recent opinion letter in my hometown newspaper was surprising in its lack of coherence, direction, and facts. I vehemently implore you to qualify some of what you write with evidence. When you call an agency designed to protect United States citizens from harm an “enemy to prosperity” it smacks of bitter name-calling. In truth, your mischaracterization of the EPA is a terrible falsehood.

 The Kansas Democratic Party is proud to release our 2011 Directory online.

In response to yesterday's announcement on the death of Osama bin Laden, the Kansas Republican and Democratic Party Chairs, Amanda Adkins and Joan Wagnon, issued the following joint statement:

"Almost ten years ago our nation stood together in shock at a tragedy that claimed almost 3,000 lives. Yesterday, justice was served. Today we are all Americans."

"Our heartfelt thanks goes to the men and women in uniform who've given their lives in pursuit of this day, and the soldiers and intelligence officers who made it possible."

 Yesterday at rallies across the country, working men and women stood to honor the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination.

These events were a show of unity between civil rights advocates and supporters of the labor movement. Thousands showed up to recognize that a workers right to organize is a civil right, that the two movements are intimately entwined.

As Democrats we stand and fight for working-class Americans who seek nothing more than to make a brighter future for their families. We will always stand with organized labor and civil rights groups who know the truth in Dr. King’s words: “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it always bends towards justice.”

As organized labor endures attacks across the country from Wisconsin to Kansas, we must all remain resolute in our support for their never ending task of building a more just future for working families.

Our coalition for justice involves civil rights, public education, equality, environmentalism, labor rights and support for small business. All members of our coalition share the belief that a just society is one which provides opportunity, compassion and a voice to all.  An attack on one member of this coalition is an attack on all.

I hope you will join me in fighting back against recent attacks on organized labor. Remind those who would seek to diminish or undermine the voice of working families that their struggle is our struggle. That providing a voice to the voiceless, strength to the weak and power to the powerless is what Democrats do.

Sincerely,

Joan Wagnon
Chair, Kansas Democratic Party

Week 11 House Caucus Newsletter
March 21-25, 2011

In This Issue

• From the Statehouse
• Budget Update
• Legislature expands concealed carry law
• House votes on sprinkler legislation
• Seat belts and Speed Limits
• Portable electronic device insurance bill passes House, heads to Senate
• KPERS Bill Debated
• Clean Indoor Air Act Amended
• Arizona style immigration bill blocked for the year
• Campaign Finance changes approved

From the Statehouse
We had a short week of long days in Topeka this week.  With Drop Dead Day approaching on April 1st, we were on the floor from morning to evening Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in an effort to push through as many nonexempt bills as possible.  We took final action votes on 56 pieces of legislation in that three-day period. This is a smaller number than usual; the average during this time period is around 70.  Debates ran long on Wednesday and the Speaker skipped over several bills.

The House adjourned for the week on Wednesday evening, giving conference committees a chance to begin their work on Thursday and Friday.  We will convene again on Monday, but the schedule will fluctuate as conference committees will be busy meeting all week to iron out differences between House and Senate versions of bills.

TOPEKA - Today, KDP Chair Joan Wagnon calls on Rep. Virgil Peck (R-Tyro)  to resign after his outrageous comment in the House Appropriation Committee on Monday where they were discussing shooting feral hogs as a method of population control. Peck said,

“It looks like to me if shooting these immigrating feral hogs works, maybe we have found a [solution] to our illegal immigration problem,” said Peck.

On Tuesday, numerous national and bipartisan groups, including the Somos Republicans and LULAC, (League of United Latin American Citizens) called for Peck’s resignation. After a meeting with Kansas GOP officials, Peck distributed a two sentence apology to fellow House members.

In response to Peck’s comments, Kansas Democratic Party Chair Joan Wagnon issued the following statement.

“Rep. Peck has become a source of embarrassment for all Kansans.  His comments are racist and inexcusable. They erode public confidence in our state’s highest legislative body.”

"I was in Southeast Kansas last evening speaking to a group of citizens and they totally rejected his statement that he was speaking the way people in that area speak. They told me, 'Rep. Peck should be ashamed of himself!'"

“Rep. Peck’s so called apology, came only after his own party leaders demanded it. He still doesn't understand why his comment offends so many people. With continued calls for his resignation , despite his meager attempt at an apology, the right thing for Rep. Peck to do is to step down, and step down immediately. It's the only way to truly apologize to the people he represents in Southeast Kansas."
 
Sign the Petition Today
 

 Last weekend, Democrats from across the state gathered in Topeka for our annual Washington Days. With thousands of Democrats attending the event it was an unqualified success. If Democrats weren't energized enough by speeches from Kathleen Sebelius, Claire McCaskill, Anthony Hensley and Paul Davis on Friday night, they certainly got their fill after an exciting rally at the State Capitol on Saturday. This energy and excitement could not have been possible without committed Democrats like you. Thank You!

You can checkout pictures of Washington Days on our Facebook or Flickr page.

You can checkout pictures of the Rally to Save the American Dream on our Facebook and Flickr Page.

 Dear Kansas Democrat:

 On Tuesday, a bi-partisan coalition of Senate Democrats and Moderate Republicans joined together to pass a responsible rescission bill. While the rescission plan is far from perfect, it addressed a critical issue for Kansas public schools.
 
As you may be aware, Governor Sam Brownback’s FY2011 budget proposes $50 million in cuts to Kansas public schools. If these cuts are implemented, Kansas would fall out of compliance with federal maintenance of effort guidelines for special education funding.
 
Had we not passed a plan that funded these mandates, the state would forfeit more than $100 million in federal funds that could be used in future budget years. Those funds won’t ever be replaced, even if we maintain funding in the future.
 
After school districts have already absorbed $241 million in cuts in just two years, Senate Democrats felt it would have been unfair to punish school children and teachers further.
 
Forgoing these needed funds, just to make a political stand, would have sent the wrong message to thousands of Kansas schoolchildren, parents and teachers. Moving forward, I hope that Democrats across the state will stand united behind one of our core Kansas values – the value of education.
 
State Senator Anthony Hensley

TOPEKA - Recently, the Southern Poverty Law Center released a report titled "When Mr. Kobach Comes to Town: Nativist Laws and the Communities they Damage" which takes aim at Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach. Kobach has a habit of working with cities to pass immigration legislation and then defend that legislation in court. These court costs end up costing small municipalities that Mr. Kobach works with millions of dollars.

A recent article on the Huffington Post put it this way:

Even if the motives of Kobach are otherwise, the experience of those towns that have collaborated with him should serve as a stark warning. After the city of Albertville, Ala., decided against working with Kobach based on his track record, the publisher of the local Sand Mountain Reporter summed it up like this: "I fear Mr. Kobach targets towns like ours, and towns like Hazleton, Pa., Valley Park, Mo., and Farmers Branch, Texas, as financial windfalls. I think he preys on the legitimate concerns, the irrational fears and even some bigoted attitudes to convince cities to hire him to represent their interests in lawsuits that may not be winnable."

In response KDP Executive Director, Kenny Johnston issued the following statement:

"Mr. Kobach continues to embarass this state. First, he wouldn't committ to working full-time at the job he was just elected to do and now he's being accused of fleecing small cities across the country. Kansans are waking up to find their state taken over by an extreme wing of the Republican Party."
 
"Kansans expect their Secretary of State to live up to certain minimum standards of independence and competency. Kris Kobach has proven time and time again that he has neither."