Wichitopekington

Roberts

Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts, who voted against the heath care reform bill, wants Congress to hold hearings on potential rising insurance costs.

Roberts, a Republican member of the Senate Finance Committee, and GOP col-league Chuck Grassley of Iowa, its ranking member, have requested hearings before the next Senate recess on how “Obamacare” has affected health insurance premiums.

They cited a recent Wall Street Journal story, which reported that some insurance companies intend to raise rates next year because of the new health care law. The Obama administration, including Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, a former Kansas governor, has said the increases would be lower.

Rep. Todd Tiahrt reported today that he has raised more than $375,000 since January in his race for the Republican Senate nomination.

Tiahrt said his filing with the Fedeal Election Commission reported that he has $1.5 million in cash on hand.

His opponent in the GOP Senate primary, Rep. Jerry Moran, has not yet released his report.

Former Missouri Sen. John Ashcroft, once one of the country’s leading conservatives, has endorsed Rep. Todd Tiahrt in his race for the Senate in Kansas.

“Conservatives across this country are yearning for principled conservatives in Washington,” Ashcroft, attorney general under former President George W. Bush, said in a statement. “I feel strongly that Todd Tiahrt can help provide that common sense conservative leadership in the Senate.”

Tiahrt is seeking the Republican nomination to the seat being vacated next year by Sen. Sam Brownback, who is running for governor. Kansas Republican Rep. Jerry Moran is also seeking the seat.

Ashcroft, a former Missouri governor, served one term in the Senate. He also explored a run for president prior to the 2000 campaign.

Republican Rep. Jerry Moran collected another endorsement from the GOP establishment for his run for the Senate in Kansas next year. This time it was a big name: Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who lost the presidential race last year.

McCain framed his support around one of his signature issues: Moran, he said, “is not afraid to oppose wasteful earmarks that cheat the American taxpayer.”

Moran is running against fellow Kansas Republican, Rep. Todd Tiahrt, for the GOP nomination.

Sens. Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback said they believe Fort Leavenworth is probably off the list as a replacement site for terrorist detainees from Guantanamo.

As a result, the Kansas Republicans have dropped the roadblocks that they erected to filling several key posts in the Obama administration.

They had placed the legislative holds because of concerns that President Obama might select the fort when it closes the detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba., which it has pledged to do in January

The nominations are for appointees to posts in the Defense and Justice departments. Chief among them was Republican Rep. John McHugh of New York, President Obama’s choice for secretary of the Army.

In a statement, Brownback and Roberts indicated they were satisfied with the outcome of their talks with the administration about Fort Leavenworth.

“We believe that the administration has a good understanding of obstacles and concerns and is giving them proper consideration,” they said. ”We are confident that because of this good faith dialogue, detainees will not be transferred to Fort Leavenworth.”