Wichita Standard

U.S. Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas) appeared on RFD-TV’s Champions of Rural America to discuss legislative efforts focused on supporting rural communities. During the interview, Estes addressed topics such as tax provisions for working families, investment in rural health care, and strategies to strengthen local economies.

Estes highlighted the importance of research and development (R&D) incentives for American manufacturing. He stated, “It's great when you look at how much we've tried to make sure that this was as much permanent as we could put into the bill, so people can plan for the long term. But also look at things about how do we grow local economies? How do we help that agriculture base by having enough manufacturing within the facility?

“One of the things I've been a big champion on is research and development and making sure that we were able to write off the research and development cost. So that as folks do things, even if it's a conveyor belt, it's not necessarily developing a new drug, but the actual companies that end up making conveyor systems and you know, have to put in new controllers and switches. So, research and development authorization is important for them.

“Also, capital purchases for new equipment, whether you're buying the new tractor or a new combine, being able to deduct that off of your operating cost just to help make sure that you continue to have that growth and helps the local equipment manufacturer and local equipment dealer as well.”

Addressing population decline in rural areas due to technological advances in farming operations, Estes said: “I think part of what we've seen, certainly over the last several decades, is … as technology has improved the efficiency on the farm, and ranching operations, we've actually seen … the population decline. Partly that's because you don't have … enough jobs around in the community to help keep the second and third son there in the neighborhood, in order to help keep the economy going.

“By being able to have more efficient, more effective operations within a local community, you're able to keep more of the people that grow up on the farm in the rural areas. And at the end of the day, you end up making sure that you keep the grocery store, you keep the hospital, you keep the drugstore, you know, all of those things that make all of our important communities the places that we want to live in.”

On tax policy changes under consideration for working families in rural America—including deductions relevant for small businesses—Estes explained: “Two most important [deductions] that are going to affect people [are] the 199A small business deduction which depends on how you're structured… it's going to help small businesses… So they'll be able to compete against these big corporations that have a lower corporate tax as well. So that's an important provision.

“Probably one of the things that's most important that's going to affect everybody is at some time we're all going to die. And being able to increase exemption on Death Tax was very important. We'd looked at how do we increase it – almost doubled it – and we made it permanent and we indexed it for inflation. So that we don't have to look five or eight years down road and see a cliff out there… It's there and it's set up…to help our current generation who are stewards of our farmland be able pass off next generation.”

Discussing health care access challenges faced by rural hospitals compared with urban centers—and measures taken through federal funding—Estes noted: “Basically what we were wanting do was make sure supported rural hospitals…if look back over last several years there's been disproportionately small percentage Medicaid other funding gone our rural hospitals…those hospitals are strained…the structures set up really fit more within larger cities…we wanted make sure supported rural hospitals...There's $50 billion fund help that...Half that's going proportionally states...other half's going set up grants different projects different approaches.”

Ron Estes has served as U.S. Representative for Kansas’s 4th district since 2017 after succeeding Mike Pompeo in Congress. He was born in Topeka in 1956 and lives in Wichita; he holds a Bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Technological University.