Congressman Tracey Mann was welcomed by the Saline County community as he participated in a town hall event this week. The event was hosted by Visit Salina and the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce.
The Town Hall provided a platform for concerned citizens from Salina and Saline County to voice their questions and opinions on a range of critical topics, including special education funding, school lunches, the food supply, and the issue of public land allocation.
One of the concerns raised during the Town Hall was the risk of foreign entities, particularly China, acquiring agricultural land in Kansas. In response, Congressman Mann expressed deep concern about the matter and revealed his active involvement in co-sponsoring multiple pieces of legislation at the federal level to prevent such occurrences. He also acknowledged the efforts made by individual states and expressed interest in exploring additional measures within the farm bill to safeguard vital agricultural resources. Congressman Mann stated that allowing adversaries to purchase farmland within the country poses a national security issue that must be addressed urgently.
When questioned on the fentanyl crisis, Congressman Mann identified border security as the fundamental solution to curb the influx of harmful substances. He stressed the importance of supporting law enforcement efforts within the state and simultaneously underlined the need to secure the southern border to effectively combat the massive drug issue.
Mann said, "It's easy to watch the news and get discouraged. We're still America. We're the greatest country in history. If we don't get too discouraged and we keep fighting for our country, I really believe that we're a handful of good decisions away from being in a lot better place."