Roger Marshall

Senator Marshall Op-Ed: Small Business Relief Has Come, but More is Needed - Senator Roger Marshall

Position: Senator Marshall advocates for tax relief and regulatory reduction to support small businesses, citing recent Republican tax cuts as beneficial and calling for additional measures including credit card fee competition and reduced regulatory burdens.

Great Bend – On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), published an op-ed in The Wichita Eagle in recognition of National Small Business Week. He highlighted the vital role small businesses play in Kansas communities. He detailed how recent Republican-led tax relief is supporting local job creators and outlined next steps, including his legislative efforts, to ensure Main Street employers can continue to grow and succeed. Read the full op-ed HERE or below: Small Business Relief Has Come, but More is Needed Walk down Main Street in almost any Kansas town, and you’ll find the same thing — a family name above the door, an owner who knows your order, or a business that’s been there through good years and hard ones alike. It’s these Kansans that are the backbone of our economy, and National Small Business Week is our chance to recognize them. If we want a stronger economy, stronger families, and stronger communities, we need strong small businesses. The question we should be asking during Small Business Week is simple: Who are we fighting for? I believe we are fighting for the Main Street employers who keep our small towns alive and our economy growing. Because when small businesses succeed, families have jobs. When they expand, communities grow. And when they are overburdened or pushed out, entire towns feel it. Too often, the government gets this backwards. Instead of empowering small businesses, it treats them like they are giant corporations with compliance departments and teams of lawyers. We have seen the results: excessive regulations, inflationary spending, higher energy costs, and burdensome mandates that make it harder to hire, expand, and compete. The best thing the government can do is simple – get out of the way. Lower taxes. Reduce unnecessary regulations. Unleash American energy. And let entrepreneurs do what they do best. We’ve already made progress on that front. This Tax Day brought good news for many small businesses across Kansas. Because Republicans delivered the Working Families Tax Cuts, job creators are seeing meaningful relief and greater certainty. We took measures like bonus depreciation, full expensing for new capital investments, and interest deductibility to give Kansas job creators the certainty they need to plan, invest, and grow. That’s real money staying in the hands of business owners. But there is always more work to be done. We’ve also introduced several bills aimed at reducing costs and removing unnecessary burdens that continue to hold small businesses back. Kansas small businesses are still paying billions in hidden credit card swipe fees every year. For many, these fees are second only to labor costs and often higher than utilities or employee health care. We introduced the Credit Card Competition Act to bring real competition into the payments system and lower those costs, so Main Street businesses can keep more of what they earn. Access to capital is another major challenge. Rural and low-income communities across Kansas are often left behind when investment decisions are made. Our Investing in All of America Act helps change that by unlocking private investment for rural communities, manufacturers, and growing industries. It does this without new taxpayer spending by encouraging investment where it is needed most. And I’ve heard loud and clear from Kansas small business owners about the Corporate Transparency Act. The reporting requirements are too costly, too complex, and too intrusive. Requiring small business owners to submit sensitive personal information to a federal database was a mistake. I’m glad to join efforts to fix this and push legislation that protects small businesses from unnecessary federal overreach. Small Business Week is a time to recognize and celebrate, but also acknowledge the continued work to be done. Please know that I will always put Main Street before Wall Street and will keep fighting to ensure small businesses have the tools that they need to thrive. If you’re a small business owner in Kansas and you’ve got a story or a concern, my door is always open.

Senator Marshall Highlights Rural Economies & Healthcare in Western Kansas - Senator Roger Marshall

Position: Senator Marshall supports tax provisions in the Working Families Tax Cuts, including permanent 20 percent small business deductions and full expensing, as mechanisms to help small businesses retain earnings and reinvest in their communities. He also supports recent PBM reforms to increase transparency and support rural pharmacies.

Garden City – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), spent Monday traveling across Southwest Kansas meeting with small business owners to kick off the start of National Small Business Week. Nearly half of all Kansans are employed by a small business. Annually, more than $25 billion enters the state’s economy through small business payrolls. Senator Marshall shared his recent work in the Senate to support small businesses and strengthen rural Kansas economies. Highlights from the visit include: Edwards County Small Businesses Senator Marshall stopped in Kinsley to visit Midway Market and Hen’s Hideaway, two locally owned small businesses helping drive growth in Edwards County. He met with owners and the county economic development director to discuss the recent expansion of new businesses in the area and the impact of investments like Blue Sky Farms. Senator Marshall discussed provisions in the Working Families Tax Cuts, including the permanent 20 percent small business deduction and full expensing, that are helping small businesses keep more of what they earn and reinvest in their communities. In Jetmore, Senator Marshall met with the owners of Hodgeman County Pharmacy, the only pharmacy in the county, following a fire that destroyed their Main Street location earlier this year. The pharmacy has continued operating out of a temporary space inside the county hospital while planning to rebuild their original location. Senator Marshall highlighted recent PBM reforms passed by Congress to increase transparency, ensure fair competition, and support rural pharmacies serving their communities. Next, Senator Marshall stopped by the Dighton Inn to meet with owner Crystall Hoffman to discuss the role that locally owned lodging plays in supporting rural Kansas communities. The locally owned hotel provides a place for visitors, workers, and families to stay helping drive spending in the community. Senator Marshall also stopped at L&R Supply to meet with owners and hear firsthand about running a Main Street business in rural Kansas. The conversation focused on day-to-day challenges, from rising costs to workforce needs, and the importance of keeping locally owned businesses strong. Senator Marshall toured NuLife Market, a leading grain sorghum processor sourcing crops from Western Kansas farmers. The company discussed the growing demand for gluten-free products and the role Kansas agriculture plays in meeting that demand. Senator Marshall highlighted opportunities for value-added agriculture, innovation in food production, and conservation practices that support long-term sustainability and market growth for Kansas producers. Next, Senator Marshall visited Dick Construction, a major regional contractor building schools, hospitals, and community facilities across Western Kansas. Senator Marshall talked about wins secured in the Working Families Tax Cuts, including full expensing and small business deductions, as well as his Investing in All of America Act, which expands access to capital for rural businesses and manufacturers. Senator Marshall wrapped up the day in Dodge City at the Care to Thrive Clinic, which partners with local employers to provide affordable, same-day healthcare for workers and their families. Providers shared how their model is helping people get care faster while lowering costs. Senator Marshall discussed policies to expand Health Savings Accounts and improve access to preventative care, as well as opportunities to grow healthcare training programs in partnership with Dodge City Community College.

Senator Marshall Praises DHA Decision to Maintain Services at Fort Riley’s Irwin Army Community Hospital - Senator Roger Marshall

Pittsburg – On Friday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) released the following statement after the Defense Health Agency (DHA) confirmed that Fort Riley’s Irwin Army Community Hospital (IACH) is not included on the agency’s Service Change Request list and will not face downgrades or reductions at this time: “I’m glad to see that Fort Riley’s Irwin Army Community Hospital will continue serving our soldiers, military families, and the surrounding Kansas communities without disruption,” said Senator Marshall. “IACH plays a vital role in supporting readiness and ensuring access to quality care in the Flint Hills region, and this is welcome news for everyone who depends on it.” Throughout 2025 and into 2026, Senator Marshall engaged directly with the Department of War, DHA leadership, and Fort Riley officials to ensure Kansas voices were heard. These efforts included securing an on-site DHA assessment, advocating for expanded care access, and advancing provisions in the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act to strengthen coordination between the Pentagon and the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve access for veterans to be seen at Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs). During a visit to Fort Riley, DHA leadership reinforced the importance of maintaining and growing IACH’s capabilities. “My goal is to figure out how I can make IACH even more successful,” said Dr. Stephen Ferrara, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs.“To me, the definition of success for a hospital is a busy hospital doing high volume, high complexity care.” Since early 2025, Senator Marshall has engaged with the Department of Defense and DHA leadership regarding the status of Irwin Army Community Hospital at Fort Riley: