Mann discusses economy, legislation and farm bill at MRC monthly luncheon

1st District Congressman Tracey Mann was the featured guest at the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Military Relations Committee Luncheon, held Wednesday at the Manhattan Conference Center.

The first-term Republican Representative spoke on the two things he believes has led to continued inflation, quipping at the Democrat-led Inflation Reduction Act, signed by President Biden last month.

Rep. Mann also spoke to Biden’s executive order forgiving up to $20,000 in student loan debt to borrowers, calling it a shifting of debt to other taxpayers.

Mann says he believes the process for students borrowing money for college should become more market driven and says he would not support a cap on the amount of student loans a borrower can take out.

During his remarks Wednesday, he also touted ongoing bills aimed at military families which he says should be able to pass out of Congress before the end of the year with bipartisan support.

Mann spoke to the proposed Whistleblower Reform Act, a piece of legislation he introduced to the Veterans Affairs Committee in July, of which he is a current member.

Mann says another bill which he believes can get bipartisan support is the Military Spouse Hiring Act, eliminating barriers to military spouses looking to gain employment.

He also touched on redistricting, noting that Geary County has become part of 2nd District Congressman Jake LaTurner’s jurisdiction, something he believes this will only benefit Fort Riley.

Following his remarks, KMAN followed up with Rep. Mann on the 2023 Farm Bill, which is still about a year away from being finalized.

The enormous piece of legislation comes up every five years, impacting everything from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for lower-income families to key programs that protect farming interests. Mann, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, says he believes the 2023 version of the farm bill will be more evolutionary than revolutionary.

It comes at a time when farmers are facing significant challenges, fueled by supply chain disruptions, high costs of fuel, inflation and of course ongoing drought conditions.

The Military Relations Committee luncheon is held monthly on the first Wednesday.