Protecting Kansas Families

As a father, grandfather, and as a member of Congress, legislation concerning children and families is very important to me. I prosecuted child abusers as Johnson County District Attorney, and as your Congressman, I helped to establish our local Amber Alert system to locate kidnapped children quickly and return them home safely. Additionally, I have sponsored the following acts in Congress to ensure the safety of our children:

  • CHILDREN'S GASOLINE BURN PREVENTION ACT: This bipartisan legislation would ensure that manufacturers of portable gasoline containers provide child-resistant caps. For less than $1, we can help save children from severe burn injury or death.
  • POOL AND SPA SAFETY ACT: This bill encourages states to adopt comprehensive pool safety legislation through grant money. The funds will help train pool personnel to enforce state law, help educate pool construction companies, pool service companies and consumers about the pool safety law as well as drowning prevention programs.
  • SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY AND INCREASED SENTENCES: Having served as Johnson County District Attorney for twelve years and seeing far too many children as victims, I work very diligently to ensure that child abusers are not given another opportunity to harm a child. I support legislature (The Child Safety Act of 2005) that strengthens sentencing of sex offenders and requires that they register for life as a sex offender. I also helped found and am past president of Safehome, a shelter for battered women and their children. I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to bring prevention and treatment to victims and justice to their perpetrators.
  • KEEPING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SAFE ACT: I am well aware of the toll that child abuse takes on our society. As District Attorney in Johnson County from 1977 to 1989, I worked closely with SRS's child protection workers and the staff of the Johnson County Mental Health Center to implement programs to protect children and fight child abuse. With my support, the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003 was passed in the House of Representatives on March 26, 2003 and was signed into law by the President on June 25, 2003.