U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (R-Salina) was in Great Bend Wednesday for a short visit with representatives from the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce. Mann’s Great Bend stop was part of a multi-town schedule of visits during an in-district work week. During his visit, Mann announced the opening of his district office in Dodge City.
On Thursday, a ribbon cutting and tours are scheduled at the new Dodge City office at 100 Military Ave. In addition to his office in Dodge City, Mann also has a district office in Manhattan and his main office in Washington, D.C.
Mann said on Wednesday that he and his staff have hit the ground running since being elected to represent Kansas’s 1st congressional district in November. “To me, one of the biggest goals was to be assigned to the House Committee on Agriculture because agriculture is the biggest driver of our economy in Kansas,” said Mann. He added that one concern of his is the numerous executive orders issued by the Biden Administration.
“We have more than 50 executive orders that have come forth since President Biden has taken office,” he said. “In the first 10 days of the new administration, there were 25 executive orders, which are more than the last seven presidents combined. It’s really just an effort to bypass Congress.”
Earlier this month, Mann introduced his first bill, known as the More Accountability is Necessary Now (MANN) Act which, according to Mann, promotes transparency in future orders made by the Executive Branch. “There should be a waiting period of 30 days before an executive order is signed,” Mann said during remarks on Wednesday.
“That allows plenty of time for Congress and the American people to be notified. Then, once the order goes into effect, there would be a report back to Congress the first six months then on an annual basis thereafter.”
One of President Biden’s executive orders revokes the permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline, halting its construction in the United States. “The Keystone Pipeline was stopped without really considering the effects,” Mann said Wednesday.
He added that legislation in the bill addresses agriculture, oil, gas and natural resources, the Second Amendment, immigration and pro-life issues. “Again, we’re trying to fight back on these executive orders to insure a greater degree of accountability,” Mann said.
Mann served as the 50th Lieutenant Governor of Kansas from 2018 to 2019. He made the second of two bids (he ran unsuccessfully against Tim Huelskamp in the 2010 Republican primary) for the 1st congressional district in 2020 after two-term incumbent Roger Marshall gave up the seat to run for U.S. Senate.
Mann won the Republican primary against Air Force veteran Dr. Bill Clifford and defeated Democrat Kali Barnett for the seat in November’s general election. He defeated Barnett with 71% of the vote.
Commonly known as “The Big First,” the 1st congressional district encompasses all or part of 63 counties in western and northern Kansas (more than half of the state), making it the seventh-largest district in the nation that does not cover an entire state.
